On Thursday, March 17, India came down hard on the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for encouraging nations and organizations indulging in terrorism and anti-India activities. At a media briefing, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi slammed the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for inviting the chairman of the Kashmiri separatist organisation, All Parties Hurriyat Conference, to attend its foreign ministerial meeting in Islamabad scheduled to be held on March 22 and 23.
It may be recalled that the Modi govt is mulling banning All Parties Hurriyat Conference as an “unlawful organisation” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for their leaders’ involvement in terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir.
Bagchi while addressing the media said that India takes such actions, which are aimed at undermining the country’s unity and violating its sovereignty and territorial integrity, very seriously. “Govt takes seriously the actions motive of which is to destroy India’s unity & sovereignty. Hope OIC won’t encourage nations&orgs indulging in terrorism & anti-India activities. Unfortunate that it’s driven by single agenda: MEA on OIC inviting Hurriyat at Foreign Ministers’ meet,” ANI Tweeted.
Govt takes seriously the actions motive of which is to destroy India’s unity & sovereignty. Hope OIC won’t encourage nations&orgs indulging in terrorism & anti-India activities. Unfortunate that it’s driven by single agenda: MEA on OIC inviting Hurriyat at Foreign Ministers’ meet pic.twitter.com/oi1DeHPRJI
— ANI (@ANI) March 17, 2022
It is regrettable that the OIC continues to be guided by a single member’s political agenda rather than focusing on important development activities, Bagchi said, referring to Pakistan indirectly.
“We have repeatedly called upon the OIC to refrain from allowing vested interests to exploit the platform for comments on India’s internal affairs,” he said.
Reports suggest that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has invited All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman, Masarrat Aalam Butt, to attend the 48th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) being held on 22-23 March 2022 in Islamabad.
The OIC is a 57-member grouping of Muslim majority nations, including Pakistan. The body has usually been supportive of Pakistan and often sided with the terror state in its disputes with India. In September, following the abrogation of Article 370, the OIC had asked India to “rescind” its actions in Kashmir and abide by the relevant UN Security Council resolutions.
Notably, last year in November it was reported how the Modi government may soon ban all factions of the Kashmiri separatist organisation Hurriyat Conference as an “unlawful organisation” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for their leaders’ involvement in terror financing in Jammu and Kashmir.
Earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir government along with NIA had submitted input to the Home Ministry about the Hurriyat Conference financing terror in the state. The Home Minister had then sought additional information from NIA and the state govt. Sources had then claimed that the additional data that was sought had been submitted to the MHA and therefore, the decision to ban the factions may come soon.
