India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has firmly rejected a recent report from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which criticized the state of religious freedom in India and recommended that the country be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern.”
On Thursday, October 3, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed inquiries regarding the USCIRF’s annual report. He stated that India’s views on the commission, which he described as a “biased organization with a political agenda,” are well documented.
“Our views on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) are well known. It is a biased organization with a political agenda. It continues to misrepresent facts and peddles a motivated narrative about India. We reject this malicious report, which only serves to discredit USCIRF further,” Jaiswal stated.
Call For Self-Reflection
Jaiswal urged the USCIRF to reflect on its own practices, stating that the commission might be better served by addressing human rights issues within the United States.
“We would urge USCIRF to desist from such agenda-driven efforts. The USCIRF would also be well advised to utilize its time more productively on addressing human rights issues in the United States,” he added.
Our response to media queries regarding Country Update on India in the US Commission on International Religious Freedom report:https://t.co/NPNfWd7QE9 pic.twitter.com/8m1xQ97dyK
— Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) October 3, 2024
Allegations Of Misinformation
The USCIRF’s report claimed that misinformation and disinformation have fueled attacks against religious minorities in India and their places of worship. The commission recommended that the U.S. State Department classify India as a “country of particular concern for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom.”
“This report highlights how, throughout 2024, individuals have been killed, beaten, and lynched by vigilante groups, religious leaders have been arbitrarily arrested, and homes and places of worship have been demolished. These events constitute particularly severe violations of religious freedom,” the report stated.
History Of Accusations
This incident marks yet another instance where India has accused the USCIRF of bias and promoting a political agenda. In May, amid the Lok Sabha elections, the MEA lashed out at the commission’s understanding of India’s diverse and pluralistic society, stating, “We really have no expectation that the USCIRF will even seek to understand India’s diverse, pluralistic and democratic ethos. Their efforts to interfere in the largest electoral exercise in the world will never succeed.”
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