In its reports for 2021 and 2022, the USCIRF had recommended to the US government that India should be designated a ‘country of particular concern’ for ‘systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom’.

On 2nd July, USCIRF Commissioner David Curry tweeted, “USCIRF is concerned about the Indian government’s continued repression of critical voices— especially religious minorities and those reporting on and advocating for them.”

In a reaction, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs, in harsh words, denounced the dubious United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for its 'biased' and 'inaccurate' claims that India is smothering voices of dispute, particularly of those belonging to the minority community.

Responding to the controversial organization’s 2022 annual report, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “We have seen the biased and inaccurate comments on India by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). These comments reflect a severe lack of understanding of India and its constitutional framework, its plurality, and its democratic ethos.”

“Regrettably, USCIRF continues to misrepresent facts time and again in its statements and reports in pursuance of its motivated agenda. Such actions only serve to strengthen concerns about the credibility and objectivity of the organization,” said the MEA spokesperson. He lambasted the organization for continuing to disseminate misleading information and making false assertions about India to further its selfish agenda.

USCIRF 2022 annual report on religious freedom

The USCIRF, an advisory body to the US Congress, on Saturday, released its 2022 annual report where it recommended that the US administration should classify India as a “country of particular concern”

USCIRF, an advisory body to the US Congress, on Saturday, released its 2022 annual report where it recommended #India be designated as a CPC (Country of particular concern) for its systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, including the repression of critical voices speaking out against these violations, Read more in USCIRF's 2022 Annual Report: 

The contentious organization asserted that in 2021, the Indian authorities stepped up the promotion and enforcement of policies, especially people who advance a Hindu-nationalist agenda that adversely harmed Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and other religious minorities. Moreover, the organization took to its professional Twitter handle to share a news report by Voice of America, the state-owned broadcaster, in which the media organization condemned the arrest of Teesta Satalvad and ex-IPS officer RB Sreekumar.

Notably, Teesta Setalvad and ex-IPS officer RB Sreekumar had been arrested for fabricating evidence to frame harmless people in reference to the 2002 Gujarat riots. Teesta Setalvad and the other accused had been arrested after the crime department testified before the court that they politicized and sensationalized the Gujarat riots case.

India had rejected these findings, as well as other criticism by the USCIRF, which is an independent, bipartisan US federal government agency. The organization encouraged that the United States administration must impose focused sanctions on the Indian authorities accountable for ‘excessive violations’ of religious freedom by freezing the individuals’ assets and barring their access into the US citing precise religious freedom violations.