India strongly protests against remarks by OIC on J&K

INTERNATIONAL DESK: India has strongly objected to the remarks made by General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Jammu and Kashmir over the second anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370.

After the move was initiated by Pakistan at OIC, India asked the international Islamic body to “refrain” from allowing “vested interests” to interfere in India’s “internal” affairs.

Responding to the statement, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, Arindam Bagchi said, “We categorically reject yet another unacceptable reference to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir issued by the General Secretariat of OIC.”

On Thursday, the OIC issued a press release calling on India to reverse its August 5, 2019 decision on Jammu and Kashmir.

“ the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) reiterates its call to revoke all these steps,” the OIC press release read.

Reminding the OIC that they have no place to comment on this matter, India said, “OIC has no locus standi in matters relating to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India.”

He added, “It is reiterated that the OIC General Secretariat should refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit its platform for comments on internal affairs of India.”

The OIC reiterated the need to resolve the dispute in accordance with relevant UN resolutions. India has maintained that the Kashmir dispute is a bilateral issue that has to be resolved between India and Pakistan. Delhi continues to maintain the stand there can be no third-party intervention in the matter.

However, the General Secretariat of the OIC reiterated “its solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir in their quest for the right of self-determination. It urges to refrain from changing the demographic composition of the disputed territory of Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (Union Territory of J&K) and to respect the basic human rights of its inhabitants”.

“The General Secretariat reiterates its call on the international community to increase its efforts to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir in accordance with the relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” said the OIC statement. (India Today)