Opposition MPs walkout from RS over Trump's Kashmir mediation claim

New Delhi [India], July 23 (ANI): The Rajya Sabha witnessed chaotic scenes on Tuesday after the opposition MPs staged a walkout from the House after they failed to get Prime Minister Narendra Modi to respond to the statement of US President Trump over mediation on the Kashmir issue.
"Neither the Prime Minister responds nor any of his ministers have the courage to tell him that if MPs want him to come to the House, it is his duty to come. It did not happen in the last six years. It did not happen today," Congress leader in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said before the opposition walked out from the House.
Meanwhile, a meeting of all opposition leaders is underway at Azad's office in the Parliament.
Earlier in the day too, the opposition created uproar in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and asked Modi to "clear the air" regarding Trump's statement over the Kashmir issue by addressing both the Houses of Parliament.
Leaders from opposition parties, including Congress, NCP, AAP, PDP, DMK, CPI (M), CPI, RJD, SP, and TMC asked the Prime Minister to give a clarification on the US President's statement in both Houses of Parliament.
While speaking in the Rajya Sabha, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had said that Prime Minister Modi has not made any request to Trump regarding mediation with Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.
"I would like to categorically assure the House that no such request has been made by Prime Minister Modi. 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," he said.
However, opposition leaders are of the view that the Prime Minister should himself address both the Houses of Parliament in the matter.
Trump on Monday said that he would love to play the role of "a mediator" on the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan.
"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," he had said during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in Washington DC. (ANI)