India calls out "factually incorrect" references to J&K by OIC

New Delhi: After the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) alleged India of trying to make demographic changes in Kashmir, India retaliated by rejecting "factually incorrect and unwarranted references".

OIC had tweeted: "August 5, 2022 marks the third anniversary of the illegal and unilateral actions taken in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which were followed by additional unlawful measures including illegal demographic changes."

India said the statement "reeks of bigotry".

The OIC is a group of 57 member states including Pakistan. It alleged that "illegal unilateral action to change the status of Kashmir" in the Rights Council. In a separate statement, Pakistan alleged "human rights abuses" and a "physical and digital iron curtain" in Kashmir.

India accused Pakistan of "peddling malicious propaganda" and said Islamabad is "well-advised to put its own house in order." Delhi added that it regrets that the OIC countries with whom India has close ties have failed in preventing Pakistan from misusing the OIC platform to push anti-India propaganda, reported NDTV.

Pakistan has been trying to flag the Jammu and Kashmir issue at the international forum since the Indian government revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir.

India further said that Pakistan has an abysmal record in the promotion and protection of the human rights of its people. "Its shameful history of committing genocide in what was then East Pakistan and what is now Bangladesh, over 50 years back, is well known and needs no reiteration."

In its reply, New Delhi alleged that Pakistan has one of the worst records of ensuring the right to freedom of religion or belief for its minorities. It further stated that extrajudicial abductions, enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions, and tortures have been used by Pakistan to target human rights defenders, political activists, students, and journalists and to crush dissent.