The government has expressed displeasure for the fourth consecutive year and has rejected the recommendations of the commission. Latest Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)calling it “Partisan and Motivated”, In its report released on Monday, the independent congressional body has called for designating India a “country of particular concern” (CPC) for its “deteriorating” record on religious freedom. The report targeted the Indian government for “promoting and implementing religiously discriminatory policies”, dealing with religious conversions, interfaith relations, the wearing of the hijab and cow slaughter, as well as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens. The laws have been named. It alleges that all of these have negatively affected minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits and Adivasis (indigenous people and scheduled tribes). USCIRF also listed acts of violence and disparagement of minorities and criticized the “suppression of critical voices” including non-governmental organizations through intimidation, destruction of property, detention and laws that curtailed foreign donations. involves targeting. It has criticized the US State Department for not designating India as a CPC, and has called for sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials. In 2005, in the only such sanctions imposed on India, the US revoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s US visa following the USCIRF’s recommendation on the 2002 Gujarat riots. In response, the Ministry of External Affairs asked USCIRF to “dissociate” from such reports and “develop a better understanding of India”.
The government’s strong response is understandable, and is consistent with its response to such reports over the past two decades, since the USCIRF began publishing its findings. The process that USCIRF follows is non-inclusive, and the fact that it does not study the state of religious freedom within the US suggests a double standard. Furthermore, its recommendations have no effect within India, and are only for the US government to deliberate on, and accept or reject. Either way, there is little need or utility in New Delhi’s public responses, which tend to put it on the defensive and do not really repair the damage done to India’s reputation as a secular, inclusive and pluralistic democracy. However, given the detailed and frank allegations, the Center may well consider an internal review of its conduct on issues such as religious freedom and rights and the direction it hopes to take India. After all, the duty of any government is not to score a perfect score in a survey conducted abroad, but to burnish its record of providing justice, equality and security to its citizens.