OIC dismisses 26/11 massacre as mere ‘incident’

India snaps at OIC for remarks on 26/11

Ashwani Talwar 29 May 2009 

NEW DELHI: India has snapped at the Organisation of Islamic Conference, a regular Delhi-baiter on Kashmir, for dismissing as a mere ‘incident’ the terror attack that killed about 170 people in Mumbai.

Delhi on Friday suggested that the OIC could be less ambiguous on the threat of terrorism that the world faced. The ‘Mumbai incident’ figured in a resolution passed by the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers in Damascus recently.
India shrugged a suggestion in it that that it should resume the structured dialogue with Pakistan, stalled after last November’s terror attack. Delhi’s stand is that it won’t talk till Pakistan shows progress on dismantling its terror infrastructure and bringing Mumbai perpetrators to justice.

The customary Kashmir resolution passed at the May 23-25 meeting of OIC Foreign Ministers in the Syrian capital accused India of human rights violations.

It referred to 26/11 only once while ‘regretting that following the Mumbai incident, India has put a ‘pause’ on the composite dialogue.

In its rejoinder, Delhi has ticked off the Islamic grouping for commenting on India’s ‘internal affairs’ an apparent reference to another resolution that argues that Muslims in India live in fear and economic deprivation.

‘‘The OIC has no locus standi on India’s internal affairs,’’ the External Affairs Ministry said.

‘‘We also note with dismay that in the resolution adopted, the terrorist attack on Mumbai in November 2008 has been referred to as a mere ‘incident,’ it added.

‘‘It is most unfortunate that the spectre of terrorism confronting the international community, of which the attack on Mumbai by elements from Pakistan was an extreme manifestation, is not being unambiguously addressed by the OIC,’’ the Foreign Office said. ‘‘We strongly reject such resolutions.’’ Apart from the one on Kashmir, the OIC passed a separate resolution on the India-Pakistan peace process, again urging the resumption of dialogue. But this resolution did not mention Mumbai at all.

In yet another resolution, the OIC expressed concern over the ‘‘rising activity against Muslims’’ by ‘‘extremists Hindus who are trying to build a Hindu temple on the ruins of the historical Babri Mosque,’’ mentioned victims of the Gujarat riots and urged action on the Sachar Committee report .