Yashwant Sinha makes modest climb down, hails Sushma's attending OIC meet
New Delhi, Mar 4 (UNI) Former External Affairs and Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who has been one of the harshest critics of the Modi government, has lauded India's decision to accept invitation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) as a "huge diplomatic win" and also said that he was wrong in trying to argue against attending the meet.
"I was wrong. We have scored a huge diplomatic win in OIC which has now completely changed its outlook on Jammu and Kashmir," Mr Sinha tweeted after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj made her address at the inaugural plenary at the OIC in Abu Dhabi on March 1.
Earlier, Mr Sinha, who served as External Affairs Minister under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had said: "By accepting the OIC invite we have lent recognition and respectability to it. Do we accept now all the resolutions OIC has passed on J&K?"
By attending and addressing the inaugural plenary of the OIC - a powerful grouping of 57 Islamic countries - at Abu Dhabi on March 1, External Affairs Minister Ms Swaraj virtually scripted history as she became the first Indian to get the honour.
In fact, waxing eloquently - quoting Sura Al Hujurat, the 49th chapter of the Holy Koran, teachings of Sikhism and Swami Vivekananda - Ms Swaraj has told the OIC meet that at 50 (years of its foundation), the grouping of 57 Islamic countries - is making a 'new beginning'.
"The choices you make, the direction you set, will have a profound impact on humanity. The OIC has a huge responsibility and a great opportunity to lift humanity to a higher level of peace and prosperity, and to make this planet a better place, not just for your people, but for rest of the world," she said on a day Pakistan - thoroughly exposed and sidelined - decided to stay away from the OIC meet.
However, the resolution adopted by the OIC was critical of Indian government's stand in Jammu and Kashmir.
Nevertheless, the MEA spokesman in reply to a question has said New Delhi's stance on Jammu and Kashmir remains 'consistent' and that whatever happening in the state is internal matter of India.
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