Context: Recently, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) has criticised the Indian government for what it called “growing Islamophobia” in India.
Background

• A religious gathering of muslims (Tablighi Jamaat) was held in Delhi in March. The event was linked to many of the Covid-19 positive cases in India.
• After this most sections of the media, people on social media blamed the Tablighi jamaat and muslims for deliberately spreading the Covid-19 in India.

Stance of OIC

• OIC asked the government to take steps to protect Muslim minorities who are being “negatively profiled,” facing “discrimination and violence” amidst the Covid-19 crisis.
• It has asked the government to take urgent steps to stop the growing tide of Islamophobia (dislike of or prejudice against Islam or Muslims) in India.
• OIC urged the government to protect the rights of its minority as per its obligations under international Human Rights law.

Earlier Criticism of USCIRF

• Earlier, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has also criticised India of “increased stigmatisation” of its muslim minorities.
• It criticized the government for the reports that Covid-19 patients were religiously segregated at a hospital in Ahmedabad.

About the OIC

• Formerly known as Organization of the Islamic Conference, OIC has membership of 57 states.
• It was established upon a decision of the historical summit which took place in Rabat, Morocco in 1969 following the criminal arson of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem.
• Its headquartered at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. OIC has permanent delegations to United Nations and the European Union.
• Its objectives are to raise collective voice of the Muslim world and to ensure the safeguard and protect the interests of the Muslim world in the spirit of promoting international peace and harmony among various people of the world.
• It is the second-largest intergovernmental organisation in the world after the United Nations.
• While the 22 members of the Arab League are also part of the OIC, the organisation has several significant non-Arab member countries, including Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. It also has five observer members, including Russia and Thailand.
• The OIC holds an Islamic Summit once every three years.

About OIC and India

• India is not a member of the OIC. However, India was invited as a guest of honour at the 46th Session of the Council of Foreign Minister in 2019. 2019 is the 50th anniversary of OIC.
• This marked a high point in New Delhi’s often tensed relations with the OIC.
• However, in recent months, the OIC has repeatedly criticised the Indian government’s handling of the situation in Kashmir and attacks on Muslims.
• The external affairs ministry has rejected this criticism.

About U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)

• It is a U.S. federal government commission created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998.
• Its Commissioners are appointed by the President and the leadership of both political parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
• It is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, dedicated to defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad.
• It researches and monitors international religious freedom issues.
• The Commission is authorized to travel on fact-finding missions to other countries and hold public hearings.