International Religious Freedom Report: Why does domestic pride turn to international shame for the current regime?
The new India 2022 International Religious Freedom Report released by the US State Department repeats some of the cautionary findings of previous such reports, but with a tinge of urgency. While most of these findings, and the incidents mentioned and data quoted in their support, won’t be surprising for the domestic audience in India, as the current regime openly parades them as its achievements and uses them as part of its election campaigns, what is surprising are the reactions of the regime to the report, outrightly rejecting it, indulging in whataboutery or disputing these findings.
Published on: 2 June 2023, 02:17 pm
The new India 2022 International Religious Freedom Report released by the US State Department repeats some of the cautionary findings of previous such reports, but with a tinge of urgency. While most of these findings, and the incidents mentioned and data quoted in their support, won't be surprising for the domestic audience in India, as the current regime openly parades them as its achievements and uses them as part of its election campaigns, what is surprising are the reactions of the regime to the report, outrightly rejecting it, indulging in whataboutery or disputing these findings.
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) was created by the US federal government under the International Religious Freedom Act, 1998. The USCIRF monitors the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad and makes policy recommendations to the President of the US. It aims to advance international freedom of religion or belief by independently assessing threats to this universal right.
On May 1, the United States Department of State released an annual report on the status of religious freedom in India, titled India 2022 International Religious Freedom Report. The report extensively tabulates incidents of violence in 2022 against religious minorities in India, including killings, assault and intimidation.
The report delves into the details of the discriminatory practices to which members of religious minority communities are subjected. It quotes the Freedom in the World report that rated India as 'partly' free on account of the "discriminatory policies and the rise in persecution affecting the Muslim population".
The USCIRF urges the US government to designate India as a "country of particular concern" for engaging in systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom as provided under the International Religious Freedom Act. It also makes an appeal to the US government to condemn the ongoing violations of religious freedom and support religious organisations and human rights groups that are targeted by State and non-State actors in India.