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The Congress party on Wednesday once again mounted pressure on the ruling BJP in the Lok Sabha, demanding Prime Minister Narendra Modi respond to US President Donald Trump's claim that the PM had requested him to "mediate" the Kashmir issue.
Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the prime minister was avoiding the discussion on the topic, adding they wanted to "hear from the horse's mouth" the truth behind Trump's comment.
"We want to hear the facts from the horse's mouth. What is wrong with this demand. We want that the prime minister should come and give a statement," Chowdhury said.
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Congress MPs, then, walked out of the Lok Sabha even as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was responding to Chowdhury 's opening remark.
"As S Jaishankar Ji -- External Affairs Minister -- said, the Kashmir issue was not discussed during President Trump's meeting with PM Modi.
"There is no question of any mediation in the Kashmir issue since it goes against the Shimla agreement," Singh said.
Trump's comment has ruffled feathers in New Delhi's political corridors, with the Opposition asking the Prime Minister personally address the matter in the Parliament.
On Monday, Trump claimed that Modi had asked him to play the role of a mediator on Kashmir but the government said the prime minister made no such request to Trump.
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Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said that External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has already clarified on the issue and wondered what was the problem now.
Later, Joshi was seen having a chat with Home Minister Amit Shah.
As the uproar continued, Joshi said that while no doubt about the issue is left since the External Affairs Minister has already given a statement, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh would respond during Zero Hour since the Opposition has again raised the matter.
(With inputs from ANI)
