'Biased': India rebuts US panel report on religious freedom

India on Wednesday termed United States Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) annual report on international religious freedom as “biased” while terming it an attempt to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India’s vibrant multicultural society.

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In reaction to the USCIRF report, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen the recently released annual report of USCIRF, which once again continues its pattern of issuing biased and politically motivated assessments.”

USCIRF’s persistent attempts to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India’s vibrant multicultural society reflect a deliberate agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom, Jaiswal said in an official readout.

India is home to 1.4 billion people who are adherents to all religions known to mankind, he said, adding however, we have no expectation that USCIRF will engage with the reality of India’s pluralistic framework or acknowledge the harmonious coexistence of its diverse communities.

“Such efforts to undermine India’s standing as a beacon of democracy and tolerance will not succeed. In fact, it is the USCIRF that should be designated as an entity of concern,” he said.

The USCIRF report has recommended targeted sanctions against India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), the nation’s external intelligence agency. This recommendation comes amid allegations of RAW’s involvement in assassination plots targeting Sikh separatists.

The panel’s annual report also highlighted deteriorating conditions for religious minorities in India. USCIRF has urged the US government to designate India as a ‘country of particular concern’ due to violations of religious freedom. The report also recommended that Vietnam be designated similarly, citing increased efforts to control religious affairs in the communist-ruled nation.

The report noted that “Washington has seen India as a counter to address China’s rising influence in Asia and elsewhere, and hence, it overlooked the human rights issue in the country”. However, it is unlikely that the US government will sanction RAW, since the panel’s recommendations are not legally binding.

The commission’s report stated, “In 2024, religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate as attacks and discrimination against religious minorities continued to rise.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP have also been accused of “propagating hateful rhetoric and disinformation against Muslims and other religious minorities”.