Minorities insecure: US panel

Simran Sodhi

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 3

Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s fourth visit to the United States in June, an annual report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has alleged that religious freedom in India is on a “negative trajectory” and minority communities are increasingly feeling insecure. 

Pointing fingers at the ruling BJP, the report has accused the party of tacitly supporting Hindu nationalist groups and using religiously-divisive language to further inflame tensions. “Minority communities, especially Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs, experienced numerous incidents of intimidation, harassment, and violence, largely at the hands of Hindu nationalist groups,” the report has stated.

The Ministry of External Affairs has trashed the report, saying: “We take no cognisance of their report”. 

“India is a vibrant pluralistic society founded on strong democratic principles. The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens, including the right to freedom of religion,” MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, adding the Indian government did not see the locus standi of a foreign entity like USCIRF to pronounce on the state of Indian citizens’ constitutionally protected rights.

The report is likely to cause some embarrassment to the Prime Minister who is scheduled to address a joint session of the US Congress on June 8. USCIRF is a Congress-mandated watchdog and its report makes some rather damning points. The report has also criticised the Indian judiciary which it said had still not delivered justice to victims of the 1984 anti-Sikh riots in Delhi and 2002 anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat.