Washington, Apr 29: A US government panel on Tuesday called for India to be put on a religious freedom blacklist over a "drastic" downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering a sharp rebuttal from New Delhi.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom recommends but does not set policy, and there is virtually no chance the State Department will follow its lead on India, an increasingly close US ally.
In an annual report, the bipartisan panel narrowly agreed that India should join the ranks of "countries of particular concern" that would be subject to sanctions if they do not improve their records.
"In 2019, religious freedom conditions in India experienced a drastic turn downward, with religious minorities under increasing assault," the report said.
It called on the United States to impose punitive measures, including visa bans, on Indian officials believed responsible and grant funding to civil society groups that monitor hate speech.
The commission said that Modi's Hindu nationalist government, which won a convincing election victory last year, "allowed violence against minorities and their houses of worship to continue with impunity, and also engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence."
It pointed to comments by Home Minister Amit Shah, who notoriously referred to mostly Muslim migrants as "termites," and to a citizenship law that has triggered nationwide protests.
It also highlighted the revocation of the autonomy of Kashmir, which was India's only Muslim-majority state, and allegations that Delhi police turned a blind eye to mobs who attacked Muslim neighborhoods in February this year.
Coronavirus state-wise India update: Total number of confirmed cases, deaths on April 29
The Indian government, long irritated by the commission's comments, quickly rejected the report.
"Its biased and tendentious comments against India are not new. But on this occasion, its misrepresentation has reached new levels," foreign ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava said.
"We regard it as an organization of particular concern and will treat it accordingly," he said in a statement.
The State Department designates nine "countries of particular concern" on religious freedom -- China, Eritrea, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
The commission asked that all nine countries remain on the list. In addition to India, it sought the inclusion of four more -- Nigeria, Russia, Syria and Vietnam.
Pakistan, India's historic rival, was added by the State Department in 2018 after years of appeals by the commission.
In its latest report, the commission said that Pakistan "continued to trend negatively," voicing alarm at forced conversions of Hindus and other minorities, abuse of blasphemy prosecutions and a ban on the Ahmadi sect calling itself Muslim.
India's citizenship law fast-tracks naturalization for minorities from neighbouring countries -- but not if they are Muslim.
Modi's government says it is not targeting Muslims but rather providing refuge to persecuted people and should be commended.
But critics consider it a watershed move by Modi to define the world's largest democracy as a Hindu nation and chip away at independent India's founding principle of secularism.
Tony Perkins, the commission's chair, called the law a "tipping point" and voiced concern about a registry in the northeastern state of Assam, under which 1.9 million people failed to produce documentation to prove that they were Indian citizens before 1971 when mostly Muslim migrants flowed in during Bangladesh's bloody war of independence.
"The intentions of the national leaders are to bring this about throughout the entire country," Perkins told an online news conference.
"You could potentially have 100 million people, mostly Muslims, left stateless because of their religion. That would be, obviously, an international issue," said Perkins, a Christian activist known for his opposition to gay rights who is close to President Donald Trump's administration.
Three of the nine commissioners dissented -- including another prominent Christian conservative, Gary Bauer, who voiced alarm about India's direction but said the ally could not be likened to non-democracies such as China.
"I am deeply concerned that this public denunciation risks exactly the opposite outcome than the one we all desire," Bauer said.
Trump, who called for a ban on Muslim immigration to the US when he ran for president, hailed Modi on a February visit to New Delhi.
Comments
i think Rahim Uchil is also on this dias and gave a speech supporting Nalin. Rahim will be next bjp mp. Is Rahim going to change his religion to save himself from the goondas of sangh parivar.
MP apina yogyete unda? Backlash malpavunait usshaar. Kelavu koditt malpader. Anda, Dever na backlash mokleg artha apuji.
whatever ...he will continue to win everytime he stands ... papa frustration nodree ... modle note ban mirchi ittange aagide ivakke ... next benami baratte , jothege zakir naik na mele multiple raids ... totall jihadi terrorism infrastructure collapsed for time being ... hawala ,hundi ge bidda hodetha dinda kundi ge kempu menasina kaayi ittida haage agide ... alvenree faizhal bhai....faizal bhai banree ,, johny walker kalsana ... athava ice cube kalsana ... swalpa ice cube mele kootu kolree ... hahaha
What about your team of 30 members who killed young Poojary in the mid of the road ???? why don't you talk ??? what about your team who killed Harish , innocent boy who was riding bike along with him muslim friend ???
Our sisters were raped and killed in Dharmastala and elsewhere why don't you protect for that poor death?
Awu ninna kannug thojujjja.. He is communal goonda not MP.
Try to make people together not to break??
Whoever attack or killed he should get severe punishment regardless of cast and community.
What about your team of 30 members who killed young Poojary in the mid of the road ???? why don't you talk ??? what about your team who killed Harish , innocent boy who was riding bike along with him muslim friend ???
Our sisters were raped and killed in Dharmastala and elsewhere why don't you protect for that poor death?
Awu ninna kannug thojujjja.. He is communal goonda not MP.
Try to make people together not to break??
Whoever attack or killed he should get severe punishment regardless of cast and community.
Hahahah..
Ulta chor kothwal ku daante!!!!
is he MP or goonda???? shame on such MPs....... no wonder he has proved that communal violence is created by his so called jumla party.....he must be arrested n thrown to bellary jail for threatening openly,,,,,,,
Totally rss want to do unrest in Karnataka. The elected representative from Mangalore don't know the value of Indian Constitution nor he know the meaning and responsibility of MP. Such a low grade fellow with worst attitude. His duty is to maintain law and order and to take care of the citizen l/o that he is with anti nations terror group. And threatening
to do bloodshed.
Seems his days r near.
Its shame for all those who voted Mr.Kateel, the MP who does not know even how to speak and the responsibility being an MP.
where is raheem uchil? he is missing??
Its time to wake up......you already deposited your money ...now barking ......poya ninna bandawal eethene......Pak flag hoisting...Go Kalla saganike ...Manipal Rape....Henda.....Gambling ...Pan......evishtu Bajrangdal amthhu chaddigala hanebaraha....saku nataka ....samanya janarannu maralu maduvudu nillisu
Please confirm retaliation on whom please clarify Mr kateel n group.
Why the district police dept kept quite on such terror groups and with their third rate leaders.
Hope state govt will take action on nalin. Elected people's representative's duty is to maintain law and order i/o that acting against the constitution is a Desh Drohi he is a terrorist.
This is the right time to take action on such criminals if not public mud stand together and retaliate.
Jai HIND!
lol... poor patient hindus sitting and watching leaders drama...
I think , nowadays , these leaders are not getting , as much support as they required....
nimage asttu desha bakthi iddre.. namm deshada gadi kaeeeri... illa andre yetto badwaru nam deshadalli ondu hottu outa illade saeeta iddare awarannu addru kapadi.. e reeti bogali yenu prayojane illa..
what abt attack on others? who will b responsible ?
People elected you as MP not to stage protest over unnecessary issue. Go to parliament and bring our 15 lack.
I think only Mangalorean cheddis never understand cheddi deception ???????
Jai sri ram .. He is right ...
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