Calling US President Donald Trump remarks on Kashmir issue "amateurish" and "delusional", Congressman Brad Sherman on Monday said Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would never ask Trump to act as a mediator.
"Everyone who knows anything about foreign policy in South Asia knows that #India consistently opposes third-party mediation re #Kashmir. Everyone knows PM Modi would never suggest such a thing. Trump's statement is amateurish and delusional. And embarrassing," tweeted Sherman.
Sherman remarks came hours after Trump said that Modi had asked him to act as a mediator to resolve the Kashmir issue.
"So I was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject. And he actually said, would you actually like to be a mediator or arbitrator? Did I say, where? He said Kashmir because this has been going for many, many years. I was surprised at how long it has been going on," said Trump, who was hosting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House.
"It should be resolved, so he has to think the same thing, so maybe I will speak to him and we will see what we can do," he added.
Meanwhile, India also clarified that no such request was made by Modi to the US President.
"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," tweeted MEAspokesperson Raveesh Kumar.
"...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," he said in a subsequent tweet.
( With inputs from ANI )