A report by a US government commission – the Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) – on religious freedom in India was termed as “biased and inaccurate” by the South Asian country. Calling it a “motivated agenda”, India accused that the report lacked understanding of the country’s plurality.
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi, reacting to the report, said: “We have seen the biased and inaccurate comments on India by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). These comments reflect a severe lack of understanding of India and its constitutional framework, its plurality and its democratic ethos.”
“Regrettably, USCIRF continues to misrepresent facts time and again in its statements and reports in pursuance of its motivated agenda. Such actions only serve to strengthen concerns about the credibility and objectivity of the organization,” Mr Bagchi added.
The report in question was released by the CIRF in June. The report recommended the Biden Administration to designate India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and 11 other nations as “countries of particular concern” in the context of religious freedom.
USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava, during a special virtual congressional briefing, had alleged that Indian government officials were tolerating and engaging in religious persecution of Muslims and Christians with prolific mob violence.
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