New delhi, Oct. 19 -- India on Monday rejected an Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) resolution on Jammu and Kashmir, accusing the grouping of allowing Pakistan to use it to advance its "bigoted agenda".
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) dismissed the anti-India references adopted at the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers' meeting in Baghdad on October 17-18 as "malicious, biased and false".
The ministry said the OIC had "no locus standi whatsoever" to comment on matters strictly internal to India, asserting that Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh were integral parts of the country. The MEA said Jammu and Kashmir had recorded economic growth since the abrogation of Article 370, citing infrastructure development, tourism and improved connectivity as benefits for residents.
It contrasted this with Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, accusing Islamabad of using violence and repression against civilian protesters, with scores reportedly killed, including women and children.
The ministry also said media restrictions had failed to conceal alleged human rights violations in the region.
It maintained that the outstanding issues were Pakistan's withdrawal from territories under its occupation and an end to its support for cross-border terrorism.
Rejecting other allegations in the OIC resolutions, including references to Islamophobia, India accused Pakistan of diverting attention from minority persecution and sectarian violence. The MEA questioned the organisation's credibility and urged its members to pursue reforms.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.