New Delhi – The Government of India has condemned the statement of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) regarding the recent clashes between different groups at Ram Navami processions in some parts of the country. India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson A Arindam Bagchi termed the OIC’s statement as “communal” and indicative of an “anti-India agenda”.

Bagchi asserted that the OIC’s reputation was being damaged due to its continued influence by anti-India forces. The OIC expressed concern over violence allegedly targeting the Muslim community during a Ram Navami procession in Bihar Sharif on 31 March.

The OIC General Secretariat condemned the violent incidents and described them as “a clear expression of growing Islamophobia and the systematic targeting of the Muslim community in India”. The organization urged the Indian authorities to take decisive action against the instigators and perpetrators of such acts and ensure the safety, rights and dignity of the Muslim community in the country.