MEA rejects Islamic bloc's 'malicious' anti-India references during Baghdad meet
What's the story
India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has rejected the Organization of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) "anti-India references" in its resolutions. It accused Pakistan of orchestrating these statements during the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers's meeting in Baghdad on October 17-18. "It said the references to India are malicious, biased, and false and have been orchestrated by Pakistan. We are disappointed that the OIC has once again allowed itself to be misused by Pakistan for its bigoted agenda," it said.
Economic growth
MEA highlights J&K's progress since Article 370 abrogation
"The Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are integral and inalienable parts of India. Politically motivated propaganda can never alter this reality," it said, highlighting the significant economic growth since the abrogation of Art 370.
"This is in stark contrast to the situation in PoJK, where Pakistan has unleashed violence, repression and brutality on civilian protesters, killing scores of them....No amount of media blackout has been able to hide these grave violations of human rights," MEA said.
Accusations
MEA slams OIC for discussing Islamophobia, other issues
The MEA said the only outstanding issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir are Pakistan's occupation of certain areas and its support for cross-border terrorism.
"Other fabricated and hostile references against India in the OIC resolutions, including insinuations related to Islamophobia, are nothing but a desperate attempt by Pakistan to divert international attention," it said.
The ministry claimed these were attempts by Pakistan to divert international attention from its own record of minority persecution, sectarian violence, governance problems, and political instability.
Reform hopes
MEA questions OIC's credibility
The MEA also said the OIC's repeated endorsement of "patently malicious propaganda and narratives peddled by Pakistan" raises serious questions about its credibility and integrity.
It hoped member states would reconsider their approach and work toward reforming the organization.
The OIC, a bloc of 57 Muslim-majority nations, raised the Kashmir issue barely a month after its contact group reaffirmed support for what it described as the "Kashmiri people's right to self-determination."