New Delhi: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), in its annual report, highlighted the alleged worsening of religious freedom in India and wants it to be designated as a ‘Country of Particular Concern.’
It wasn’t music to India’s ears, and the government rejected the report, describing it as “malicious” and terming the organisation “biased with a political agenda.”
“Our views on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom are well known. It is a biased organisation with a political agenda,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said on Thursday in response to media queries.
“USCIRF continues to misrepresent facts and peddles a motivated narrative about India. We reject this malicious report, which only serves to discredit USCIRF further,” Jaiswal added.
Urging USCIRF to “desist from such agenda-driven efforts,” Jaiswal advised the organisation to “utilise its time more productively on addressing human rights issues in the United States.”
The report has been authored by senior policy analyst Sema Hasan.
In the India section, it describes the use of misinformation and disinformation — including hate speech by government officials — to incite violent attacks against religious minorities and their places of worship, USCIRF said in a statement.
The US organisation recommended that America’s Department of State should designate 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,” USCIRF said.
From the previous Manmohan Singh-led UPA government, India has consistently denied visas to USCIRF members to visit the country, citing “interference” in its internal affairs, USCIRF pointed out.