Trump has made it clear mediation offer on Kashmir not on table anymore: India's US Envoy
Washington: US President Donald Trump has made it clear that his offer of mediation on Kashmir is not on the table anymore, the Indian ambassador has said.
Ambassador Harsh Vardhan Shringla said on Monday that America's decades-old policy on Kashmir has been no mediation but to encourage India and Pakistan to resolve their differences bilaterally.
"President Trump has made it very clear that his offer to mediate on Jammu and Kashmir is dependent on both India and Pakistan accepting it. Since India has not accepted the offer of mediation, he has made it clear that this is not on the table anymore, Shringla told Fox News, the favourite news channel of the US president.
On July 22, during his joint media appearance with Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the White House, President Trump stunned India by saying that Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought his mediation/arbitration on the Kashmir issue, a claim that was seen by many as outlandish and carrying little credibility.
India asserted that no such request was made by Prime Minister Modi to the US president and all issues will have to be resolved with Islamabad bilaterally.
A week later, Trump climbed down from his previous statement, saying it was up to India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue but he was ready to assist if the two South Asian neighbours wanted him to help in resolving the issue.
He said India made it clear to America that any discussion on the issue, if at all warranted, will only be with Pakistan and only bilaterally, which has long been India's stated position.
Shringla said that America's policy on Kashmir has been no mediation but to encourage the two South Asian neighbours to resolve their differences bilaterally including on Kashmir, the pace and scope of which would be chosen by New Delhi and Islamabad.
That has been the United States longstanding policy, he said in response to a question referring to America's decades-old policy. Shringla said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres was also very clear on the issue.
"He says, this issue has to be resolved bilaterally between India and Pakistan in keeping with the agreements that the two countries have signed: the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration, he said.
"So, this is not an issue that is to be settled with, third parties. I think that was something that President Trump clarified and made clear, Shringla said.
State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus last week said that there is no change in its policy on Kashmir as it called on India and Pakistan to maintain restraint and hold direct dialogue to resolve their differences.
Responding to a question, Shringla said that the measures taken by the Indian government in Kashmir are temporary and preventive in nature.
When the decision was announced, the possibilities of cross border infiltration and terrorism, we know that there would be incitement to violence. We have simply taken preventive steps, he said.
The restrictions in Kashmir are being eased even as we speak. Tens of thousands of people came out to celebrate the festival of Eid. They went to mosque, they prayed, the shops are open. There's even traffic jams in several cities. And we are progressively easing on the restrictions, Shringla said.
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Detaining authority didn't apply mind, relied on irrelevant material: Sonam Wangchuk's wife to SC
New Delhi (PTI): Jailed climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's wife, Gitanjali J Angmo, told the Supreme Court on Monday that the detaining authority had not not applied his mind and relied on irrelevant material while detaining her husband.
She told the court that four videos relied upon by the detaining authority have not been furnished to Wangchuk, which is a violation of his right to effective representation.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing in the court for Angmo, told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale that not supplying the videos violated Wangchuk's right to effective representation before the Advisory Board as well as the government.
Sibal further argued that the district magistrate did not apply his mind while recommending Wangchuk's detention and only "copy-pasted" the recommendations made by the senior superintendent of police (SSP), Ladakh.
"Grounds of detention are simply a copy-paste of the recommendation. The material relied upon should have a proximate link to the detention order. Irrelevant things were relied upon for detention," Sibal said.
The hearing in the matter remained inconclusive and will continue on January 13.
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Angmo had earlier submitted that the tenor of a speech delivered by her husband at Leh was not to propagate violence, but to quell it, and that facts are being manipulated to portray him as a criminal.
Angmo had also told the court that Wangchuk was not provided with the "complete grounds" of his detention and not given a proper opportunity to make a representation to the authority concerned against the action.
Wangchuk was detained under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) on September 26, 2025, two days after violent protests demanding statehood and Sixth Schedule status for Ladakh left four people dead and 90 injured in the Union Territory.
The government has accused Wangchuk of inciting the violence.
The NSA empowers the Centre and states to detain individuals to prevent them from acting in a manner "prejudicial to the defence of India". The maximum detention period is 12 months, though it can be revoked earlier.
The Leh district magistrate (DM) had earlier told the apex court that Wangchuk indulged in activities prejudicial to the security of the State, maintenance of public order and essential services, which led to his detention under the NSA.
In an affidavit filed before the court, the DM had denied that Wangchuk was detained illegally or was being treated improperly under detention, and submitted that the grounds of his detention were communicated to him.
Angmo, in her plea, has said the unfortunate events of violence in Leh on September 24 last year cannot be attributed to Wangchuk's actions or statements in any manner.
Wangchuk himself condemned the violence through his social media handles and categorically stated that it would lead to the failure of Ladakh's "tapasya" and peaceful pursuit of five years, Angmo said, adding that it was the saddest day of his life.
