The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its 2024 annual report, which contained unflattering remarks about religious freedom in India and allegations about government officials resorting to hate speech. The report prompted an immediate reaction from the Ministry of External Affairs.
What did the USCIRF report say?
The report recommended designating India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) due to what it describes as ‘engaging in or tolerating particularly severe violations of the right to freedom of religion or belief.’
The USCIRF report highlighted instances like the violence in Manipur and Haryana, alongside the detention of Kashmiri leaders, as evidence of deteriorating religious freedoms in India.
India reacts
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) swiftly responded by strongly repudiating the report, labeling USCIRF as a ‘biased organization with a political agenda.’
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal emphasized, ‘The USCIRF continues to publish what can only be described as anti-India propaganda, masquerading as part of its annual report.’