New Delhi: India's foreign secretary H S Shringla on Tuesday had emphatically denied that the citizenship law and the issue of religious freedom were raised by US President Trump during his bilateral meeting with PM Modi.
He, however, cut a sorry figure when Trump asserted during a press conference that he did raise the issue of religious freedom and found Modi in favour of it.
Sample this: The PM was incredible. We talked about it (the Citizenship Amendment Act) for a long time and he (PM) said he wants people to have religious freedom.
"The President, however, said he did not talk about the violence in Delhi during his visit. "I heard about it, but did not discuss it with PM Modi. It is up to India," he said, adding, ‘‘I hope they will do the right thing for the people of India."
He went on to assert that everybody has religious freedom in India when a foreign journalist asked about the scores wounded in the CAA dispute. It was a music for Modi’s ears when Trump went on to claim that there is more religious freedom in India, as against that in other countries.
Trump claimed he has done the most in the world in attacking Islamic terrorism and pointed out how terrorism was stamped out in Iraq and Syria. He also clarified that he wants to withdraw the US army from Afghanistan.
PAK-AIDED TERROR: On the issue of Pakistan promoting terrorism, he quipped that the whole world knows about the role of Islamabad, even while asserting that he has good relations with Prime Minister Imran Khan.
MEDIATION OFFER AGAIN: On Kashmir, Trump renewed his offer for mediation, saying he wants a solution to the problem that has simmered for the past seven decades.
"We talked a lot about it today. I said I will do whatever I can do to help as my relationship with both gentlemen (PM Modi and Pakistan PM Imran Khan) is so good...Anything I can do to mediate/help, I'd do. They (Pakistan) are working on Kashmir," Trump said.
Trump took all by surprise by holding the press conference. The media had concluded there won’t be one after a joint statement was put out after talks in the Hyderabad House. Usually, the heads of states don't hold a separate press conference; they usually talk to the media either in the return flight or after reaching home.
