Gandhi said that PM Modi must speak on the issue as the foreign ministry's denial won't do

NEW DELHI: If US President Donald Trump's claim that the Indian prime minister had asked him to mediate on the Kashmir issue is true, Modi had betrayed the interests of the country, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Tuesday.

Gandhi also asserted that a "weak" foreign ministry denial wouldn't do and Prime Minister Modi must tell the nation what transpired in the meeting between him and the US president."

Earlier in the day, Congress welcomed the government's reiteration of India's "no third party involvement" stand on the Kashmir issue but asked why Modi was "mum" over Trump's claim.

The Ministry of External Affairs has rejected Trump's remarks, made during his meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, that Modi had asked him to mediate in resolving the Kashmir issue with Pakistan.