Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress demanded an explanation from him after US President Donald Trump claimed that he was asked to mediate on the Kashmir issue.
Criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Tuesday demanded an explanation from him after US President Donald Trump claimed that he was asked to mediate on the Kashmir issue.
Congress Spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said: "To ask a foreign power to mediate in Jammu and Kashmir by Modi is a sacrilegious betrayal of country's interests."
India has never accepted third party mediation in Jammu & Kashmir!
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 22, 2019
To ask a foreign power to mediate in J&K by PM Modi is a sacrilegious betrayal of country’s interests.
Let PM answer to the Nation!https://t.co/17wRVtRSMD
In a tweet, Surjewala said: "India has never accepted third party mediation in Jammu and Kashmir. Let the Prime Minister answer to the Nation."
Deeply disturbing & distressing is the @POTUS claim that PM Modi made a request to him for mediation on Kashmir!
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) July 22, 2019
No Indian PM has ever dared to breach the cardinal principle of ‘no third party mediation’ in terms of 1972 Simla Agreement.
Why is PM mum?https://t.co/XynsonqooU
The Congress leader's remarks came after Trump on Monday said that Modi had asked him to help on the Kashmir issue and he would love to be a mediator.
Trump said: "I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago, and we talked about the subject. And he actually said, 'would you like to be a mediator, or arbitrator', and I said 'where?', and he said 'Kashmir', because this has been going on for many, many years. I was surprised for how long it has been going on," to which Imran Khan interjected to say "70 years".
"I think they (India) would like to see it resolved, and I think you (Pakistan) would like to see it resolved. And if I can help, I would love to be mediator," the US President said.
The Central government has, however, rebuffed Trump's offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue, saying that Modi had never made such a request to him, and stressed that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are "discussed only bilaterally".
"We have seen the US President's remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India and Pakistan, on the Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the US President," Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said in a tweet.
We have seen @POTUS's remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India & Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by PM @narendramodi to US President. It has been India's consistent position...1/2
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019
...that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement & the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally.2/2
— Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019
"It has been India's consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross-border terrorism. The Simla Agreement & the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally," he said.