Indian diaspora group criticizes US government's religious freedom report
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The annual report released by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has stirred controversy, with the USCIRF recommending that India be labeled as a "Country of Particular Concern (CPC)," citing alleged deteriorations in religious freedom within the nation.
Responding to the USCIRF's report, an Indian diaspora think-tank has denounced the organization, accusing it of bias and flawed methodologies.
The Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIIDS) has urged the US State Department to reject the USCIRF's findings, asserting that the report is riddled with inaccuracies and misrepresentations.
FIIDS Chief of Policy and Strategy, Khanderao Kand, criticized the USCIRF report for its reliance on partial data and flawed conclusions. He emphasized that the report failed to acknowledge positive developments in India's religious landscape and instead focused on isolated incidents to paint a negative picture of the country.
Furthermore, FIIDS expressed skepticism towards the USCIRF's recommendation to evaluate India under the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), given India's status as a target of terrorism. The think-tank argued that such recommendations overlook India's efforts to combat terrorism and uphold national security.
In its analysis of the USCIRF report, FIIDS highlighted discrepancies in the portrayal of religious tensions in India, pointing out the report's failure to recognize inter-tribal conflicts and historical rivalries as contributing factors to incidents of violence.
Additionally, FIIDS questioned the USCIRF's criticism of India's enforcement of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), emphasizing the need for NGOs to adhere to reporting and usage laws.
FIIDS underscored India's constitutional guarantee of religious freedom and criticized the USCIRF for overlooking India's efforts to protect vulnerable communities from coercive and fraudulent conversions.
Finally, FIIDS raised concerns about the USCIRF's objectivity and recommended that the US Department of State thoroughly evaluate and reject the USCIRF's recommendations, considering the importance of US-India relations.