India rejects OIC statement on Kashmir, asks it to bar ‘vested interests’ from using platform

In a statement issued on the second anniversary of the Indian government’s move to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and to split the region into two union territories, the general secretariat of OIC reiterated “its call to revoke all these steps”.

India on Thursday rejected the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) call to revoke the changes made to the status of Jammu and Kashmir in 2019, saying the grouping shouldn’t allow “vested interests” to use its platform to comment on the country’s internal affairs.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation has opposed any changes to the demographic composition of Jammu and Kashmir and called for respect of basic human rights. (Image used for representation). (ANI PHOTO.)

In a statement issued on the second anniversary of the Indian government’s move to scrap the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and to split the region into two union territories, the general secretariat of OIC reiterated “its call to revoke all these steps”.

The OIC described the Indian government’s steps as “unilateral” and said they were aimed at altering the “internationally recognised disputed status of the territory as stipulated in the relevant UN Security Council resolutions”.

Responding to the reference to the Kashmir by the OIC, external affairs ministry spokesperson 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.”

In an apparent reference to Pakistan’s frequent attempts to rake up the Kashmir issue through the OIC, Bagchi added, “OIC has no locus standi in matters relating to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral part of India. 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’s general secretariat also called on the world community to increase its efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue in line with UN Security Council resolutions.