Uproar over Donald Trump’s J&K mediation offer

New Delhi/Washington: Amid a huge political storm, Parliament saw an uproar by Opposition members and repeated disruptions and adjournments on Tuesday over remarks made by US President Donald Trump regarding mediation on the Kashmir issue, even as external affairs minister S. Jaishankar informed both Houses that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had never made any such request for mediation to the US President. The US President had on Monday claimed that Mr Modi had asked him to play the role of a mediator on Kashmir. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, in a sharp tweet, alleged if President Trump’s remarks were true, then Mr Modi had “betrayed” India’s interests, also terming the “foreign ministry denial” as “weak”.

Mr Jaishankar, in a reaction to President Trump’s remarks, told Parliament: “I would like to categorically state that no such request has been made by the Prime Minister to the US President. I repeat, no such request has been made by the Prime Minister to the US President.” Mr Jaishankar added: “I would reiterate that it has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan can be discussed only bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan will require an end to cross-border terrorism. The Shimla Agreement and Lahore Declaration provide the basis for resolution of all issues bilaterally.”

The Trump administration also launched a damage control exercise after the President’s remarks about mediation on Kashmir, with the state department on Tuesday saying it was a “bilateral” issue between India and Pakistan, and the US “welcomes” the two countries “sitting down” for talks. It also said Pakistan taking “sustained and irreversible” steps against terrorism is key to a successful dialogue with India. An influential Democratic Congressman on Tuesday also said he had apologised to India’s envoy in the US for President Trump’s “embarrassing” remarks on Kashmir. “I just apologised to Indian ambassador Harsh Shringla for Trump’s amateurish and embarrassing mistake,” Congressman Brad Sherman tweeted.

In a clarification to the US President’s remarks that was issued around midnight Tuesday, the MEA spokesman had said: “We have seen President Trump’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 (Modi) to the US President. 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 Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India and Pakistan bilaterally.”

In controversial remarks in Washington in the presence of visiting Pakistan PM Imran Khan late Monday night, US President Trump said: “I was with Prime Minister Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject (Kashmir). And he actually said, ‘would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator?’ I said, ‘where’? He (Modi) said ‘Kashmir’.” President Trump added: “Because this has been going on for many, many years. I am surprised that how long. It has been going on (for long),” he said, with Pakistan PM Khan responding that it was 70 years.

President Trump had said: “I think they (Indians) would like to see it resolved. I think you would like to see it resolved. And if I can help, I would love to be a mediator. It should be... We have two incredible countries that are very, very smart with very smart leadership, (and they) can’t solve a problem like that. But if you would want me to mediate or arbitrate, I would be willing to do that.” He added: “So all those issues should be resolved. So, he (Modi) has to ask me the same thing. So maybe we’ll speak to him. Or I’ll speak to him and we’ll see if we can do something.”

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted: “President Trump says PM Modi asked him to mediate between India & Pakistan on Kashmir! If true, PM Modi has betrayed India’s interests & 1972 Shimla Agreement. A weak foreign ministry denial won’t do. PM must tell the nation what transpired in the meeting between him & @POTUS.”

The Rajya Sabha witnessed repeated disruptions on Tuesday as Congress, CPI(M) and AAP members created an uproar and demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi make a statement on the issue. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till noon after heated exchanges between the Chairman and Opposition members over Mr Trump’s statement on Kashmir mediation. In the afternoon, as soon as the House resumed at 2 pm, deputy chairman Harivansh made an announcement about a cultural event in Parliament premises by physically challenged persons. Thereafter, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman moved the Appropriation Bill 2019 and the Finance Bill 2019.

Raising a point of order, Congress leader Anand Sharma requested the deputy chairman to consider the notices given by him and other Opposition members seeking a statement by the Prime Minister in the House. Mr Sharma said: “I and other members of the Opposition have given notices. We have rights as members of the House. There are certain traditions and dignity of the House. Whenever the Prime Minister goes out and whenever there is an international issue, the Prime Minister must reply. Let the Prime Minister come.”

The deputy chairman said the Chairman had already given a ruling in this regard in the morning and the external affairs minister has also replied on this. Union minister Prakash Javadekar said: “They are disrupting the proceedings of the House and infringing upon the rights of other members to speak on bills. One of their members did the same in the Lok Sabha.” Amid the din, the deputy chairman adjourned the House till 3 pm.

The Congress-led Opposition later staged a walkout from the Rajya Sabha as they demanded Mr Modi make a statement on the issue of the US President’s claim on Kashmir mediation. BJP member Bhupender Yadav said: “When the Lok Sabha is satisfied with the government’s reply and work is going on there, this is the Elders’ House and it is our responsibility to run it,” adding that if the Lok Sabha can run, the Rajya Sabha should be more productive as an important bill was being discussed in the House. Reacting to this, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad said the government should not try to run Parliament as some “department” of a ministry. “In the Lok Sabha, bills are passed under various considerations because they have to get elected, there are regional considerations, religious considerations. But this House (Rajya Sabha) there is no such consideration.. So don’t say its happening there (Lok Sabha) and not here... You applied rubber stamp there and similarly trying to use the rubber stamp here. Sorry, we are not rubber stamps,” Mr Azad said. “The Prime Minister has not done that (responded) in the past six years, and today also he is not there, therefore the entire Opposition will walk out,” he added.

The Opposition in the Lok Sabha also walked out, and demanded the PM’s statement on Mr Trump’s remarks. As soon as the Lower House met for the day, members from the Congress and other Opposition parties were on their feet shouting slogans. Amid the ruckus, Speaker Om Birla said it was a serious issue and there should not be any politics over the matter. He urged members to rise above party lines and think of the national interest. When Mr Jaishankar rose to make a statement, it was drowned in protest by the entire Opposition, which then walked out of the House. Home minister Amit Shah requested the Speaker to allow Mr Jaishankar to repeat the statement as it was essential that people hear him clearly.