India rejects USCIRF's religious freedom report as 'biased, motivated narrative'

In a firm rebuttal, the Ministry of External Affairs addressed media queries regarding the USCIRF's annual report. The ministry’s spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated India’s long-standing stance on the USCIRF, labeling it a "biased organization with a political agenda."

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Mayank Kasyap
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New Delhi: The Indian government has strongly rejected the latest report from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which criticizes the state of religious freedom in India and calls for its classification as a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC). The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has dismissed the report as a politically motivated attempt to push a "biased narrative" about India.

MEA's response to the USCIRF report

In a firm rebuttal, the Ministry of External Affairs addressed media queries regarding the USCIRF's annual report. The ministry’s spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated India’s long-standing stance on the USCIRF, labeling it a "biased organization with a political agenda."

"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 peddle a motivated narrative about India," the MEA statement declared.

The MEA further condemned the report, asserting that it discredits the USCIRF and urged the commission to refocus its attention on domestic human rights issues within the United States instead of targeting India.

"We reject this malicious report, which only serves to discredit USCIRF further. 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," the ministry’s statement added.

USCIRF's claims on India's religious freedom

The USCIRF report, authored by senior policy analyst Sema Hasan, claims a deteriorating state of religious freedom in India. It highlights the use of misinformation, disinformation, and hate speech by government officials to allegedly incite violence against religious minorities and their places of worship.

The commission has recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a "Country of Particular Concern" due to what it describes as systematic and egregious violations of religious freedom. However, it is important to note that the US State Department has not yet acted on these recommendations.

This exchange marks another chapter in the ongoing debate between the Indian government and international organizations over religious freedom. India has consistently refuted reports like the USCIRF's, maintaining that they misrepresent the country’s reality and are influenced by external agendas.