External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday told the Rajya Sabha that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not made any request to US President Donald Trump regarding mediation with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
Following the minister's remark, Opposition members created an uproar after which the Chairman Venkaiah Naidu adjourned the proceedings till 12 noon.
"I would like to categorically assure the House that no such request has been made by Prime Minister Modi," Jaishankar told the Upper House amid thumping of tables by treasury benches.
He said, "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 & the Lahore declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India & Pakistan bilaterally, Jaishankar told parliamentarians.
Reacting to the objection being raised by the opposition, Chairman Naidu said the House should speak in one voice on a national issue such as this.
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"It is a national issue. Country's unity, integrity & national interest is involved, we should be seen speaking in one voice," Naidu said before adjourning the Rajya Sabha.
President Trump, during a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, had claimed that Modi requested him to meditate on the long-pending 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," Trump said at the White House, with Khan seated next to him.
Soon after Trump's comments, the Ministry of External Affairs had also said that no such request was made, adding that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally.
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