Present Imperfect

May 4, 2023

Context:

For the fourth consecutive year, the government has expressed outrage and rejected the recommendations of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) latest report, calling it “biased and motivated”.

What the Report Says?

The report called India to be designated a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for its “worsening” record on religious freedoms.
The report has targeted the Indian government for “promoting and enforcing religiously discriminatory policies”, naming laws that deal with conversion, interfaith relationships, wearing the hijab and cow slaughter, as well as the CAA and the NRC.
It alleges that India has impacted minorities negatively.
It has also cataloged acts of violence and the vilification of minorities.
It criticized the “suppression of critical voices” by intimidation that includes surveillance, demolition of property, detentions and the targeting of NGOs through laws curtailing foreign donations.

Called for sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials:

It has criticized the U.S. State Department for not having designated India as a CPC, and has called for sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials.
In the only such sanction imposed on India, the U.S. had, in 2005, revoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s U.S. visa after a USCIRF recommendation on the 2002 Gujarat riots.

India’s Response:

The External Affairs Ministry has told the USCIRF to “desist” from such reports and to “develop a better understanding of India ”.
The process the USCIRF follows is non-inclusive, and the fact that it does not study the state of religious freedoms inside the U.S., suggests a double standard.
Its recommendations hold no sway within India, and are meant only for the U.S. government to deliberate on, and accept or dismiss.

To move ahead:

The Centre may well consider an internal review of its conduct and the direction it hopes to lead India in, on issues such as religious freedoms and rights.
Eventually, any government’s duty is not in achieving a perfect score in a survey run abroad, but rather in burnishing its record of delivering justice, equality and security to its citizens back home.

News Source: The Hindu