<p class="title">Confusion between `mediate' and 'meditate' might have led US President Donald Trump to believe that India wanted him to intervene in the Kashmir issue, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid quipped on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India has denied Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested him to mediate between India and Pakistan for resolving the Kashmir issue.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Khurshid was speaking at the launch of his book "Visible Muslim, Invisible Citizen: Understanding Islam in Indian Democracy" here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Referring to the controversy, the former external affairs minister said in a lighter vein, "Maybe prime minister Modi wanted to say why don't you meditate for Yoga, and he thought Modi was asking to mediate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It was a problem of communication. But diplomacy is all about communication and if you are not able to communicate properly, what kind of diplomacy you are having," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Congress leader praised external affairs minister S Jaishankar, citing his track record as a diplomat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He has a very outstanding record and we have such a bright foreign minister, who has left a remarkable legacy behind him (as foreign secretary). But I can say only sorry for him," Khurshid added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">During an interaction which followed the book release, Khurshid fielded questions about what it means to be Muslim in contemporary India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Muslims are gradually disappearing from the public discourse and we need to have a deep understanding why it is happening," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, floating a party specially for Muslims won't help, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They can take shelter in liberal parties, but liberal parties also need to prove that they are actually liberal," the Congress leader added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Religious and political leaders should join hands to offer a modern interpretation of Islam, as done by poet Allama Iqbal in the past, Khurshid said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Islam is a very flexible religion and its flexibility allows its followers to do anything if their intentions are pure, Khurshid opined.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also stated that there are a lot of non-Muslims "who have always stood behind Muslims and have supported them", and majority of Hindus and Muslims believe in the Constitution. </p>
<p class="title">Confusion between `mediate' and 'meditate' might have led US President Donald Trump to believe that India wanted him to intervene in the Kashmir issue, senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid quipped on Thursday.</p>.<p class="bodytext">India has denied Trump's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi requested him to mediate between India and Pakistan for resolving the Kashmir issue.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Khurshid was speaking at the launch of his book "Visible Muslim, Invisible Citizen: Understanding Islam in Indian Democracy" here.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Referring to the controversy, the former external affairs minister said in a lighter vein, "Maybe prime minister Modi wanted to say why don't you meditate for Yoga, and he thought Modi was asking to mediate.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"It was a problem of communication. But diplomacy is all about communication and if you are not able to communicate properly, what kind of diplomacy you are having," he added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">The Congress leader praised external affairs minister S Jaishankar, citing his track record as a diplomat.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"He has a very outstanding record and we have such a bright foreign minister, who has left a remarkable legacy behind him (as foreign secretary). But I can say only sorry for him," Khurshid added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">During an interaction which followed the book release, Khurshid fielded questions about what it means to be Muslim in contemporary India.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"Muslims are gradually disappearing from the public discourse and we need to have a deep understanding why it is happening," he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">However, floating a party specially for Muslims won't help, he said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">"They can take shelter in liberal parties, but liberal parties also need to prove that they are actually liberal," the Congress leader added.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Religious and political leaders should join hands to offer a modern interpretation of Islam, as done by poet Allama Iqbal in the past, Khurshid said.</p>.<p class="bodytext">Islam is a very flexible religion and its flexibility allows its followers to do anything if their intentions are pure, Khurshid opined.</p>.<p class="bodytext">He also stated that there are a lot of non-Muslims "who have always stood behind Muslims and have supported them", and majority of Hindus and Muslims believe in the Constitution. </p>