India rejects USCIRF remarks on gurdwara attacks as blatantly political
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal called the US body a biased and ill-informed organisation on Tuesday.
The Indian government on Tuesday rejected claims by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that Sikh gurdwaras in India have faced vigilante violence. According to The New Indian Express, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the US body as a biased entity with a blatantly political agenda.
Jaiswal questioned why the USCIRF has not addressed attacks on religious sites in the US or the racial abuse faced by the Indian community there. He stated that a prejudiced entity cannot be taken seriously.
The criticism follows comments from USCIRF Commissioner David Anderson, who noted on social media that Sikh places of worship have been the targets of vigilante actions recently. Anderson suggested that US security assistance should be tied to how the Indian government responds to violence that hinders freedom of religious belief (FoRB).
Another USCIRF Commissioner, Joe Grogan, stated that attacks on mosques, churches, and gurdwaras in India undermine international FoRB rights. Grogan urged the US government to demand that New Delhi hold those responsible for such violence accountable.
In August, the USCIRF had called for sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and requested that Washington withhold diplomatic courtesies from its leaders, a move New Delhi also rejected. The USCIRF is a bipartisan US federal agency that provides policy recommendations to the US President, Congress, and the Secretary of State.
