US State Department released a report on international religious freedom on Thursday, shortly after blinken made a statement in which he alleged that India was witnessing “increasing attacks on places of worship”. Another senior US official said that some Indian officials are ignoring or even supporting such attacks.
Reacting sharply to the report and comments, the State Department issued a release saying it has taken note of “misinformed comments by senior US officials”.
Our response to media questions regarding the release of the US State Department 2021 report on International Religious… https://t.co/BukWrGYK2k
— Arindam Bagchi (@MEAIndia) 1654252679000
foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practiced in international relations. We would urge that motivated inputs and assessments based on partisan views are avoided.
He said, “As an inherently pluralistic society, India values religious freedom and human rights. In our discussions with the US, we have discussed issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence.” exposed regularly.”
Attack on minorities: US report
The report said there have been attacks on members of religious minority communities in India over the past year, including assaults, murders, assaults and threats. These included cow vigilantism – attacks on non-Hindus for allegedly killing cows or trading in beef.
Blinken said the report showed religious freedom and the rights of religious minorities around the world were at risk. “For example, in India, the world’s largest democracy and home to a large diversity of faiths, we have seen increasing attacks on people and places of worship,” Blinken said.
Rashad Hussain, who leads the US State Department’s efforts to monitor religious freedom around the world, said some Indian officials are “ignoring or supporting the increasing attacks on people and places of worship”.
Annual Report by state Department State of Religious Freedom, describes government policies that violate the religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations, and individuals, and “American policies promoting religious freedom in nearly every country and territory worldwide”.
previous quarrel
Blinken said in a recent joint press conference with the Secretary of State after the 2+2 talks S Jaishankar That the US is “monitoring some recent developments in India, including an increase in human rights abuses by some government, police and prison officials”.
Jaishankar later responded by saying that India also has its own views on human rights in the US.
(with inputs from agencies)