WASHINGTON: US government panel renewed calls Monday to blacklist India over religious freedom, saying that treatment of minorities has continued to worsen under PM Narendra Modi.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom offers recommendations but does not set policy and there is little expectation that State Department will accept its stance on India, a growing US partner. The State Department each year lists countries where it sees particular concern on religious freedom, with the prospect of sanctions without improvement.
The commission, whose members are appointed by the president and congressional party leaders, supported all of the State Department’s latest designations which included China, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
It however recommended that the State Department add several countries including India, Nigeria and Vietnam. The annual report pointed in India to violence and destruction of property targeting Muslims and Christians and drew links to comments and social media posts by members of PM Modi‘s Bharatiya Janata Party. “The continued enforcement of discriminatory laws facilitated a culture of impunity for widespread campaigns of threats and violence by mobs and vigilante groups,” it said. It was the fourth straight year that the panel has made recommendation on India, angering New Delhi which has called the commission biased.
The US Commission on International Religious Freedom offers recommendations but does not set policy and there is little expectation that State Department will accept its stance on India, a growing US partner. The State Department each year lists countries where it sees particular concern on religious freedom, with the prospect of sanctions without improvement.
The commission, whose members are appointed by the president and congressional party leaders, supported all of the State Department’s latest designations which included China, Iran, Myanmar, Pakistan, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
It however recommended that the State Department add several countries including India, Nigeria and Vietnam. The annual report pointed in India to violence and destruction of property targeting Muslims and Christians and drew links to comments and social media posts by members of PM Modi‘s Bharatiya Janata Party. “The continued enforcement of discriminatory laws facilitated a culture of impunity for widespread campaigns of threats and violence by mobs and vigilante groups,” it said. It was the fourth straight year that the panel has made recommendation on India, angering New Delhi which has called the commission biased.