Extreme incitement to anti-India violence by regional leaders harmful for peace: Modi to Trump

In a statement about the conversation in the wake of the Kashmir development, the Prime Minister's Office stated: "In the context of the regional situation, the Prime Minister stated that extreme rhetoric and incitement to anti-India violence by certain leaders in the region was not conducive to peace."

Modi also highlighted the importance of creating an environment free from terror and violence and eschewing cross-border terrorism without exception.

The Prime Minister reiterated India’s commitment to cooperate with anyone who followed this path, in fighting poverty, illiteracy and disease. 

This comes in the wake of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's decision to take away the special status of Jammu and Kashmir by scrapping Articles 370 and 35A.

The government bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir with an assembly and Ladakh without an assembly.

Article 35A of the Indian Constitution allowed the Jammu and Kashmir state's legislature to define “permanent residents” of the state and also provided special rights and privileges to those permanent residents.

Article 370 allowed Jammu and Kashmir to have its own constitution, flag and right to handle its own laws except on matters that impact national security.

While there has been a dispute between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, Trump had earlier offered to help resolve the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan during his meeting with Pakistan President Imran Khan in Washington.

What did Trump say? 

Hosting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House, Trump had said: “If I can help, I would love to be a mediator.” “If I can do anything to help, let me know,” he added, according to reports.

"I was with Prime Minister 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," President Trump had said at the joint media briefing with Imran Khan.

The US has held for long that the Kashmir issue should be sorted by India and Pakistan bilaterally.

India rejected Trump's claim

Later, in response to query on President Trump’s remarks, India's Ministry of External Affairs' official spokesperson Raveesh Kumar had said, “We have seen President Trump's remarks to the press that he is ready to mediate, if requested by India and Pakistan, on the Kashmir issue. No such request  has been made by Prime Minister to the US President."

"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. The Shimla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration provide the basis to resolve all issues between India and Pakistan bilaterally,” Kumar had said.

Raveesh Kumar Twitter page