International Sufi Caravan chief Mufti Manzur Ziyaee strongly condemns OIC's anti-India stance; slams pro-Pakistan bias, says Indian Muslims enjoy full freedom and rights

MUMBAI: Reacting sharply to the statements made against India during the OIC (Organisation of Islamic Cooperation) meeting held in Türkiye on 22 June, Mufti Manzur Ziyaee, President of the International Sufi Caravan and Patron of the All India Ilm-o-Hunar Foundation, has strongly condemned the remarks and questioned the OIC’s biased approach.“Once again, OIC has proven its pro-Pakistan bias by taking an unfounded and one-sided stance against India. We condemn this in the strongest terms,” Mufti Ziyaee stated.He said that the OIC continues to echo Pakistan’s narrative while completely ignoring the reality of over 250 million Indian Muslims who enjoy complete religious freedom and constitutional protection in a democratic, secular country like India.“India is a peaceful, secular and democratic nation where Muslims live with full freedom and dignity, and play an active role in political, educational, and social sectors,” he added.Turning his criticism towards Pakistan, Mufti Ziyaee remarked: “Pakistan has long been a hub of terrorism, sectarian violence and systemic oppression of minorities. If the OIC is truly concerned about the welfare of the Muslim Ummah, it should focus on the internal oppression in Pakistan, the crisis in Afghanistan, and the ongoing wars in the Middle East — not target a peace-loving nation like India.”He further added: “We strongly condemn the OIC’s persistent partiality against India and reiterate that Indian Muslims consider themselves safe, respected, and entitled to full constitutional rights.”Mufti Ziyaee appealed to the global Muslim leadership: "OIC must restore its neutrality and refrain from targeting India under the influence of any specific geopolitical agenda."