The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has once again called out India for its alleged violations of religious freedom. The independent federal government commission has recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) due to its ongoing and egregious violations.
In its statement, USCIRF expressed deep concern over India’s purported increase in transnational targeting of religious minorities and their advocates, including journalists and lawyers. The commission highlighted the alleged involvement of the Indian government in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US as examples of India’s efforts to silence religious minorities and human rights defenders both at home and abroad.
USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck emphasized the severity of India’s religious freedom violations and urged the Biden administration to designate India as a CPC. The commission also published an issue update on India’s state-level anti-conversion laws, providing further context on how these laws are used to target religious minorities.
The commission raised concerns about India’s tactics, which include intimidation, harassment, and even assassination attempts against religious minorities living outside the country. USCIRF pointed to the recent indictment by the US Department of Justice, which alleges the Indian government’s involvement in a plot to assassinate Sikh activist Mr Pannun in New York.
Additionally, USCIRF highlighted India’s use of spyware and online harassment campaigns to target and intimidate journalists and activists advocating for religious minorities. The commission underscored the significance of Indian authorities’ use of draconian legislation to crack down on religious minorities, journalists, and activists within its borders, and now extending this repression to target religious minorities from India living abroad.
USCIRF called on the US government to continue engaging with senior Indian officials and international partners to address these alleged violations. The commission’s goal is to ensure that religious minorities can live and express themselves without fear of reprisal, whether in India or elsewhere.
The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the US Congress to monitor, analyze, and report on religious freedom abroad. It provides foreign policy recommendations to the president, the secretary of state, and Congress in its efforts to deter religious persecution.
India’s alleged violations of religious freedom continue to be a matter of concern, and USCIRF’s call for the Biden administration to designate India as a CPC reflects the ongoing international scrutiny of the situation. As the issue unfolds, it remains to be seen how the US government will respond and whether further actions will be taken to address these concerns.
