The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) recently pointed out that sanctions can be imposed against organisations such as RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) and R&AW (India’s external intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing) citing alleged violations of religious freedom in India.
In a recent report, USCIRF even asked the Trump administration to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” and suggested linking arms sales to the country’s record on religious freedom. The report even states that the current condition of religious freedom in India “continued to deteriorate.” The report also accused Indian authorities of targeting religious minorities and their places of worship.
What does the USCIRF report state?
Regarding the anti-conversion laws introduced in multiple Indian states, USCIRF discusses the strict penalties in the report. Different instances of detention and deportation of refugees. Multiple cases of attacks on minority groups were also mentioned. The report also criticised legislative developments, including the Waqf (Amendment) Act and the Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education Act.
The commission directly pointed to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, an RSS affiliate, for inciting communal violence in states like Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh. After citing these examples, USCIRF recommended that the US government invoke provisions of the Arms Export Control Act to impose a temporary ban on arms sales to India due to alleged acts of intimidation and harassment against minorities, including US citizens.
How has the External Affairs Ministry reacted?
Till now the ministry hasn’t reacted to the allegations in the report. However, the ministry had earlier rejected similar allegations, calling them “biased and politically motivated.” Previously, the Indian government emphasized that India has religious diversity and that the few cases mentioned are rare isolated incidents that have been misrepresented. India is home to 1.4 billion people from diverse religions.
This isn’t the first time USCIRF has targeted India, it has been doing this for a while. The Indian government is well aware of this and has even earlier denied visas to USCIRF delegations. USCIRF was established by the US Congress in 1998 to monitor global religious freedom and advise the US President, Secretary of State, and Congress on related issues.
