US President Donald Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked him to mediate on "Kashmir issue", has stoked a controversy in the Indian political quarters, with opposition parties asking Modi to clarify his stance and 'break silence' on the matter.
"Deeply disturbing & distressing is the @POTUS claim that PM Modi made a request to him for mediation on Kashmir! 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?" tweeted Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress spokesperson.
"India has never accepted third party mediation in Jammu & Kashmir! 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!" he said in an earlier tweet.
"Is Govt of India going to call @realDonaldTrump a liar or has there been an undeclared shift in India's position on third party involvement in #Kashmir?" tweeted NC leader Omar Abdullah.
"Personally I think @realDonaldTrump is talking out of his hat when he says @PMOIndia asked for US involvement in solving the Kashmir issue but I'd like to see @MEAIndia call Trump out on his claim," said Omar in a subsequent tweet.
"I honestly don't think Trump has the slightest idea of what he's talking about. He has either not been briefed or not understood what Modi was saying or what India's position is on 3rd-party mediation. That said, MEA should clarify that Delhi has never sought his intercession," tweeted senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor.
On the other hand, hours after US President Donald Trump said that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asked him to help resolve the Kashmir issue, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) India clarified that no such request has been made by Prime Minister Narendra 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.
Trump on Monday said that he would love to play the role of "a mediator" on the "issue of Kashmir" between India and Pakistan.
"Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi asked me to help with the Kashmir issue; I would love to be a mediator," Trump said.
US President Trump said this during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House.
( With inputs from ANI )