'Trump's a liar' -- Indian fury over US president's Kashmir mediation offer

Contradictions, claims and counter-claims pour in after 'surprise' remarks

KARACHI: The media and Twitterati in India have bludgeoned United States President Donald Trump over his claims yesterday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had requested him to act as a mediator on the Kashmir issue.

As soon as the news broke, the country's media outlets branded President Trump "a liar" while dismissing the conversation that Trump claimed took place between the heads of state on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Japan as a fabrication.

Surprised by India's reaction to Trump's Kashmir mediation offer: PM Imran

When Indian lawmaker Shashi Tharoor was asked about the US president's claim, he said: "Our stance is clear. We don't want any third-party mediation. If we want to talk to them [Pakistan], we'll do it ourselves."

I did not say the PM didn't need to explain himself to Parliament, of which he is a member & to which he is accountable. On the contrary, while I'm prepared to believe it's impossible our PM could say this, he needs to clarify it himself in Parl, since Trump cited him personally. https://t.co/CvK4DtLp5U

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) July 23, 2019

The former career diplomat added that New Delhi is against any other nation getting involved in the longstanding dispute, adding, "The Ministry of External Affairs statement has made our [government's] stance abundantly clear". "Trump doesn't know what he's saying," he added.

https://twitter.com/SwamiGeetika/status/1153615120427175936

Also, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar issued a vehement denial in the Indian Parliament. "It has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally,” he said, amid jeering from MPs. “I would further underline that any engagement with Pakistan would require an end to cross-border terrorism.”

PM Imran wants Pakistan-US ties ‘based on mutual trust’

Upon this, opposition members walked out in protest, demanding a response from the Indian premier himself. The Congress party, the largest opposition force in parliament, was, however, adamant that PM Modi give a clarification on the floor of the House owing to the gravity of the issue.

WATCH: EAM S Jaishankar issues statement in Parliament on #TrumpKashmirLie. pic.twitter.com/ubMTnPg4Tk

— Republic (@republic) July 23, 2019

While other Indian news outlets deemed Trump's comments to be another addition to the long list of faux pas that the US president is prone to making. Moreover, talk show hosts lambasted the opposition for over-reacting despite the government making its stance on the issue abundantly clear.

#TrumpKashmirLie - The fact that PM Modi can say something like this will not be believed in India or the entire world: Rakesh Tripathi, BJP tells @shreyadhoundial on #SettingTheAgenda. pic.twitter.com/KEzeR7UZP3

— News18 (@CNNnews18) July 23, 2019

#TrumpKashmirLie | MEA calls out US President Donald Trump's lie on mediation, releases a statement saying 'no such request has been made by PM Narendra Modi to US President'

Tune in for LIVE updates here - https://t.co/Ar5oNWEpM1 pic.twitter.com/hXNlauCzgN

— Republic (@republic) July 22, 2019

Twitterati also jumped on the bandwagon with #TrumpKashmirLie becoming the top Indian trend on the micro-blogging site. Social media users hit out at Trump deeming his comments as blatant lies.

https://twitter.com/MirchandaniYana/status/1153613372723621888

You have just done that#TrumpKashmirLie https://t.co/eH26MXuCcV

— Prakash Nath Gupta (@Nguptaprakash) July 22, 2019

What Trump said

While speaking to the media at the Oval Office where he hosted Prime Minister Imran Khan for the very first time, President Trump offered to help mend strained ties between Pakistan and India, the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

“I was with Modi two weeks ago and we talked about this subject and he actually said ‘Would you like to be a mediator or arbitrator’, I said ‘Where’, He said ‘Kashmir’. Because this has been going on for many, many years… I think they would like to see it resolved and you [Imran Khan] would like to see it resolved. If I can help, I would love to be a mediator,” Trump said.

https://twitter.com/DeveshDubey_/status/1153469644751036416

The “prayers of over a billion people will be with you if you can mediate and resolve the situation,” PM Imran responded. Hours after his remarks, India's Ministry of External Affairs released a statement that Modi said had said no such thing.

“We have seen [Donald Trump’s] remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India and Pakistan, on Kashmir issue. No such request has been made by Narendra Modi to US President,” said India’s Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar.

“It has been India’s consistent position that all outstanding issues with Pakistan are discussed only bilaterally.”

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...1/2

— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) July 22, 2019