ISLAMABAD: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) said on Sunday that it had been closely following issues affecting Muslims in India, and expressed concern over recent developments regarding Delhi’s new citizenship act and earlier, the Babri Masjid verdict against Muslims.

In a statement, and on its official Twitter page, the OIC General Secretariat reaffirmed the importance of upholding the principles of the United Nations charter and other international covenants to guarantee minorities were not discriminated against.

“Any action, contrary to these principles and obligations, may lead to further tensions and may have serious implications on peace and security across the region,” the OIC statement said.

Furthermore, in a Twitter post, the OIC General Secretariat reiterated its call to “ensure the safety of the Muslim minority and the protection of Islamic holy places in India.”

The Indian government is under pressure locally and internationally, following two weeks of protests where at least 25 people have so far died, and 7,500 have been detained demonstrating against a new citizenship act criticized as anti-Muslim. India has a large Muslim minority of 200 million people.

The law gives religious minority members — Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Parsis, Christians and Buddhists — from three neighboring Islamic countries an easier path to citizenship, but not if they are Muslim.

Earlier this week, the US also urged New Delhi to “protect the rights of its religious minorities in keeping with India’s constitution and democratic values.”