Explained: OIC’s reference to J&K, and India’s response to it

Mains Paper 2 : Bilateral, Regional and Global Groupings and agreements involving India |

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level : OIC

Mains level : OIC and Kashmir Issue

Context

India has rejected the reference to J&K by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) at its meeting last week.
OIC has no locus standi in matters relating to J&K being an integral part of India.
India reiterated that OIC should refrain from making such unwarranted references.

OIC stance on Kashmir

The OIC met in Mecca affirmed its support for the people of J&K for the realization of their legitimate right to self-determination, in accordance with relevant UN resolutions.
It condemned the recent outbreaks of violence in the region and invited India to implement the relevant Security Council resolutions to settle its protracted conflict with its neighbour.
It also called for the expedited establishment of a UN commission of inquiry to investigate into the alleged HR violations in Kashmir.
It called on India to allow this proposed commission and international human rights organizations to access Indian-occupied Kashmir.
The Conference approved the appointment of Saudi Arabia’s Yousef Aldobeay as its Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir.

About OIC

OIC — formerly Organisation of the Islamic Conference — is the second largest inter-governmental organisation in the world after the UN.
It describes itself as the collective voice of the Muslim world, and its stated objective is to safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world.
It has reserved its membership for Muslim-majority countries.

India: Still not even an Observer

Russia, Thailand, and a couple of other small countries have Observer status.
Last year, Bangladesh had suggested that India, where more than 10% of the world’s Muslims live, should be given Observer status, but Pakistan had opposed the proposal.
However, EAM Sushma Swaraj had addressed the Inaugural Plenary of the 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OIC in Abu Dhabi on March 1 this year.
Indian counterpart was after invited by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of the UAE as the Guest of Honour.

OIC on Kashmir

The communique issued in Mecca is not new or unusual.
The OIC has been generally supportive of Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir, and has repeatedly issued statements criticizing the alleged Indian “atrocities”.
At the 2018 meeting in Dhaka, however J&K figured in only one of the 39 resolutions adopted, that too, along with 12 other states or regions worldwide.
Pakistan had complained about the Dhaka Declaration and accused Bangladesh of circulating the text very late.

India has consistently and emphatically underlined that Jammu and Kashmir is an “integral part of India and is a matter strictly internal to India.
The strength with which India has made this assertion has varied slightly at times, but never the core message.
OIC having no locus standi on J&K itself is stronger statement.

Championing relations with OIC giants

Individually, India has excellent relations with almost all member nations of the OIC.
Ties with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, especially, have looked up significantly in recent years.
The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh MBZ Al Nahyan, was a very special Chief Guest at the 68th Republic Day celebrations in 2017.
This was the first time that India laid out the Republic Day red carpet for a leader who was neither a Head of State nor Head of Government.