Image Courtesy:hindustantimes.com
After the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) called out India for its “discriminatory policies, inflammatory rhetoric, tolerance for violence against minorities”, several international human rights groups, especially those working in the field of protecting rights of religious minorities, have come out in support of the report.
Hindus for Human Rights, a US-based advocacy organization dedicated to advocating for the human rights of all communities in India, US, and beyond, welcomed USCIRF’s report saying, “As an organization with strong personal roots in both India and the US, this step taken by USCIRF to place the world’s largest democracy in the company of several authoritarian regimes is particularly painful to us. However, we feel that it is an important and necessary step that is consistent with our own assessment from our ground reports from India – which also confirm rising attacks on the media and the targeting of activists critical of the government. The recent arrest of Dr. Ambedkar’s grand son-in-law Dr. Teltumbde and Gautam Navlakha on trumped up charges are a case in point.”
They further said, “The report is sure to elicit more than the usual push-back from the Modi government and its supporters. As one of the only Hindu-based organizations in the US ever to condemn the rising violence against India’s minorities, we sincerely hope that the government of India will refrain from ‘shooting the messenger.’ The time is now for the government to take immediate steps to condemn all religious incitement and punish those guilty of fomenting violence or subjecting the minorities to social boycotts.”
The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) welcomed the report as well. Ahsan Khan, President of IAMC said, “As a part of the Indian diaspora that only wishes well for the country of our birth, we view international criticism of India’s religious freedom record as distressing but painfully necessary, given the escalating level of persecution of minorities.” He added, “India being categorized as a top violator of religious freedoms while unfortunate, is expected and justified. We hope this report as well as recent concerns expressed by other countries, mark a turning point in the treatment of religious minorities as well as the caste oppressed in India.”
Meanwhile the Federation of Indian American Christian Organisations also released a statement saying, “The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA) thanks the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for recognizing the grave downward spiral of affairs in India despite India being a democratic nation.” Koshy George, President of FIACONA said, “I am worried that the persecution of Christians and other religious minorities continues even during the Coronavirus lockdown and I am very disappointed with Prime Minister Modi for not condemning such behaviour of his party cadre forcefully.”
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