The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has once again raised alarm over India’s systematic and ongoing violations of freedom of religion. The commission, an independent federal government body, has consistently recommended since 2020 that the US Department of State designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
It is regrettable that the US has yet to designate India as a CPC despite continuous recommendations by the USCIRF. This persistent oversight raises questions about objectivity and fairness of the US administration’s approach, especially in the light of reported egregious violations against religious minorities in India, particularly Muslims and Christians.
Ever since the installation of Narendra Modi as Indian PM, life for minorities has become miserable. Every now and then incidents of persecution against minorities are reported. Of significant concern is denial of Muslims to perform their rituals and conversion of mosques into temples with apparent support of the judiciary. While Pakistan is placed on list of particular concern by the US, it is crucial to differentiate between the situations both in India and Pakistan. In Pakistan, isolated incidents may occur, but they are not state-supported. The Pakistani state, people and judiciary not only condemn such acts but also come together in support of minorities whenever any incident happens against them. In contrast, India’s minorities face persecution under patronage of the government, also manifested in discriminatory laws targeting these communities. It is no secret that attacks by cow vigilantes and mob lynching of Indian Muslims take place regularly with complete impunity for perpetrators, while blatant human rights violations in IIOJK are well known to everybody. The situation has reached such alarming level where Modi government is going beyond its borders to target religious minorities.
The reported killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the foiled plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US underscore a severe escalation of India’s efforts to silence religious minorities and human rights defenders globally. We therefore ask the Biden administration to reconsider its stance, come out of selective and arbitrary assessment and acknowledge discriminatory practices and abuses against minorities in India. The USCIRF’s consistent recommendations should be heeded. The US should rise above economic and political expediency to address severe human rights violations and protect religious freedom on a global scale.
