India on Thursday strongly rejected a statement on Jammu and Kashmir by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and asked it to refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit its platform for comments on internal affairs of the country.
The strong comments by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) came in response to the statement issued by the General Secretariat of the OIC on the second anniversary of the withdrawal of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.
"We categorically reject yet another unacceptable reference to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir issued by the General Secretariat of OIC," External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said. He was responding to media queries on the OIC statement.
"The 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," Bagchi said.
On August 5, 2019, India announced the withdrawal of the special powers of Jammu and Kashmir and its decision to bifurcate the state into two union territories. In the statement, the OIC General Secretariat reiterated its "call to revoke all these steps".
The OIC General Secretariat also reiterated 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". The OIC is a grouping of Muslim-majority nations.