Opposition parties in both the Houses of Parliament are expecting an explanation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday on US President Donald Trump’s statement that the Indian PM wanted him to mediate in the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan.

Proceedings were disrupted as the Opposition maintained its stance and the ruckus is likely to continue on Wednesday, too.

The Opposition had raised the matter in both the Houses on Tuesday and was not satisfied with the statement given by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar that Modi made no such request to Trump.

A deviation from stance?

The Opposition moved notices in both the Houses demanding suspension of the day’s business. They said the Prime Minister should make a statement in the House whether the BJP-led government has decided to deviate from the established stand that the country does not need any mediators to resolve the dispute.

Jaishankar said all issues between the two countries can only be discussed bilaterally. “I would like to categorically state that no such request has been made by the Prime Minister to the US President,” he said. “Any engagement with Pakistan will require an end to cross-border terrorism,” he said and added that Shimla and Lahore accords provide the basis for resolution of all issues bilaterally.

Both the Houses witnessed disruptions over the issue. In the afternoon, Deputy leader of the Congress in the Rajya Sabha Anand Sharma urged Deputy Chairman Harivansh to consider the notices of the Opposition. “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,” he said.

The Opposition parties tried to create a public debate on the issue. “If Trump’s claim is true, Modi had betrayed the interest of the country,” former Congress President Rahul Gandhi said on Twitter. He added that a ‘weak’ Foreign Ministry denial will not be sufficient and urged Modi to tell the nation what transpired in the meeting between him and the US president.

Opposition parties also held a meeting on the issue and decided to continue the agitation in Parliament on Wednesday, too. “No matter which government was in power at Centre in past, our foreign policy has been that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and no third party can intervene, and President Trump knows it...,” Opposition leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said after the meeting.

Meanwhile, the government is also keen on extending the session for one more week so that the pending Bills could be passed in both the Houses. But the Opposition said it is not aware of any such move.

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