Published 10:21 IST, July 23rd 2019
Dr Subramanian Swamy summarily dismisses Donald Trump's nonsensical mediation lie, warns Pakistan to 'get out before I kick you out'
US President Donald Trump has not only invited the ire of India but was also called out by his own country's lawmakers and diplomats for a shocking, characteristically ignorant and boastful lie about being asked by PM Modi to mediate in the Kashmir issue
US President Donald Trump has not only invited the ire of India but was also called out by his own country's lawmakers and diplomats for a shocking, characteristically ignorant and boastful lie about being asked by PM Modi to mediate in the Kashmir issue, as stated in his meeting with Pakistan PM Imran Khan on Monday night. In response to this, BJP parliamentarian Dr Subramanian Swamy, has shared his view summarily dismissing the need for any mediation.
Taking to Twitter, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP has raised that Trump's offering to mediate contains a condition - that there indeed be a dispute over which to mediate - something which Dr Swamy has dismissed owing to the fact that Kashmir is an inalienable part of India and Pakistan has been occupying parts of it illegally.
Netizens have thrown their lot in with Dr Swamy, echoing him in the matter:
On Monday evening, as Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan, embarrassingly chaperoned by Army chief Bajwa, met the US President, even he appeared to be taken aback by Donald Trump's impromptu offer to mediate the Kashmir issue, and furthermore, by his assertion that PM Modi had invited him to do so when they had last met - something that has been rejected by the Indian government which has upheld its long-standing position against third-party involvement in the Kashmir issue and called for Pakistan to end cross-border terrorism before any engagement on the topic.
The White House statement on the meeting, however, contained no mention of Kashmir, mediation or India, and rather told Pakistan to completely stop terrorism emanating from Pakistan's soil.
Further, the US State Department has backed the Indian government amid this in an attempt to damage control:
"While Kashmir is a bilateral issue for both parties to discuss, the Trump administration welcomes Pakistan and India sitting down and the United States stands ready to assist. We believe foundation for any successful dialogue between India and Pakistan is based on Pakistan taking sustained and irreversible steps against terrorists on its territory. These actions are in line with PM Khan’s stated commitments a nd, Pakistan’s international obligations. We will continue to support efforts that reduce tensions and create an environment conducive for dialogue. This first and foremost means tackling the menace of terrorism. As the President indicated, we stand ready to assist."
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the influential US House Committee on Foreign Affairs reiterated India's stand against outside interference:
In a telephonic conversation to Harsh Vardhan Shringla, Indian Ambassador to US, he said: "I support dialogue between India & Pakistan on Kashmir dispute, but dialogue’s pace & scope can only be determined by India & Pakistan."
The Chairman further reaffirmed that in order for dialogue to be meaningful, "Pakistan must first take concrete and irreversible steps to dismantle the terrorist infrastructure on its soil".
Updated 10:38 IST, July 23rd 2019