‘Ill-informed… At behest of serial violator of human rights’: India rejects OIC remarks on SC’s Article 370 verdict

“India rejects the statement issued by the General Secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on a judgement of the Indian Supreme Court. It is both ill-informed and ill-intended. That OIC does so at the behest of a serial violator of human rights and an unrepentant promoter of cross-border terrorism makes its action even more questionable,” Bagchi said responding to a media query. He, however, did not name any country.

The MEA spokesperson further stated that such statements only undermine OIC’s credibility.

In a statement on Tuesday, the General Secretariat of the OIC expressed concern over the Supreme Court verdict and also reaffirmed its solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

In a landmark ruling Monday, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court unanimously put its stamp of approval on the Modi government’s August 2019 decision to end the special status of the then State of Jammu and Kashmir by abrogating the contentious Article 370 of the Constitution.

The five-judge Bench, comprising Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai and Surya Kant, in three separate but concurring judgements, ordered restoration of statehood “at the earliest”, set a September 30, 2024 deadline for holding Assembly elections in the Union Territory of J&K and also upheld the validity of the Centre’s decision to carve out the Union Territory of Ladakh from the erstwhile State.