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"Anti-India resolutions of OIC countries hurts Indian Muslims": Indian envoy thanks Indonesia for supporting New Delhi's stand on terrorism
Jakarta (Indonesia), May 30 (ANI): Indian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sandeep Chakravorty, on Friday expressed concerns that anti-India resolutions by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) hurt Indian Muslims.
He also thanked Indonesia for supporting India's stand on terrorism, thwarting Pakistan's effort to criticise India on the Kashmir issue at a recent meeting of OIC Parliamentary Union held in Jakarta.
Chakravorty questioned why countries friendly to India, including OIC members, would support such resolutions.
Chakravorty highlighted that India is home to one of the largest Muslim populations globally, emphasizing the need for OIC countries to be mindful of this demographic reality.
'Anti-India resolutions of OIC countries hurts Indian muslims... Indonesia is a friend of India, why should other friends of India and OIC countries support this kind of resolution? We should be mindful that India is home to one of the largest Muslim populations in the world...,' said the Indian Ambassador to Indonesia.
Notably, Pakistan's efforts to include criticism of India on the Kashmir issue in the OIC document were unsuccessful, thanks to the opposition from Indonesia, Egypt, and Bahrain.
Pakistan's efforts to rally the 57-member OIC against India have been met with resistance. Many OIC member countries, which have cordial relations with India, have refused to toe Pakistan's line, dealing a blow to its diplomatic efforts.
The Ambassador urged OIC countries that are friends of India to reconsider their stance on these resolutions. He emphasized the importance of recognizing India's diverse population and its commitment to unity in diversity.
Chakravorty also emphasized the strong message conveyed by India's actions against terrorism, which has resonated with Indonesia, a country that has also faced terrorism. Both nations, with significant Muslim populations, share a mutual understanding of the threat posed by terrorism.
'The message that has been conveyed strongly is that whole India is behind the action that the government has taken, terrorism has no place in the modern world, and the Government of India has a zero tolerance policy. I think this has found resonance from the Indonesian side, as Indonesia suffers from terrorism. It has the largest Muslim population in the world, while India has the second-largest population, so there is a mutual understanding,' Chakravorty said.
Chakravorty highlighted Indonesia's robust anti-terror program, including de-radicalisation initiatives, which India can learn from.
He added, 'What was discussed was the Indonesian anti-terror program. Indonesia has anti-terror cooperation with many countries, including India. It also has a robust de-radicalisation program against violent and online extremism. These are the learnings we have from Indonesia.'
As part of their official visit to Indonesia, the all-party parliamentary delegation from India, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, met with KH Ulil Abshar Abdalla, MA, Chairman of the Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU), and Mr. Kholili Kholil, Committee Member of NU -- the world's largest Islamic organisation.
The Indian delegation sought NU's unwavering support against violence and religious extremism. Emphasising the shared values of peace and unity between India and Indonesia, Sanjay Jha urged NU leaders to stand with India and condemn cross-border terrorism, sending a strong message to the global community.
Both India and Indonesia, with the largest Muslim populations globally, uphold the principle of Unity in Diversity or Bhinneka Tunggal Ika as state policy and as a way of life.
Condemning terrorism and attacks on innocent civilians, KH Ulil expressed deep solidarity with India, saying, 'I felt the pain of India,' and called for stronger cooperation between India and Indonesia to promote peace and economic development.
The all-party delegation, led by JD(U) MP Sanjay Kumar Jha, included prominent MPs such as Aparajita Sarangi, Brij Lala, Pradan Baruah, Hemang Joshi from BJP, Abhishek Banerjee from TMC, John Brittas from CPI-M, along with Salman Khurshid and Mohan Kumar. Together, they sought to strengthen ties and garner support against cross-border terrorism. (ANI)
