India on Wednesday responded to the recently released 2025 Annual Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), asserting that the USCIRF should be designated as an entity of concern. Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "USCIRF again continues its pattern of issuing biased and politically motivated assessments." The remarks have come in response to the USCIRF report, which claimed that attacks against minorities in India rose in 2024.
Here's what MEA said on USCIRF's report
He added, "The USCIRF's persistent attempts to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India's vibrant multicultural society reflect a deliberate agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom."
“India is home to 1.4 billion people who are adherents to all religions known to mankind. However, we have no expectation that the USCIRF will engage with the reality of India’s pluralistic framework or acknowledge the harmonious coexistence of its diverse communities," Jaiswal further added.
The MEA in its response stated that "such efforts to undermine India’s standing as a beacon of democracy and tolerance will not succeed. In fact, it is the USCIRF that should be designated as an entity of concern."
What is USCIRF?
The USCIRF report mentioned clashes between Kuki and Meitei communities in Manipur and said months of ongoing violence resulted in the destruction of thousands of homes.
The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan US federal government agency. It makes policy recommendations to the US President, Secretary of State, and Congress and tracks the implementation of these recommendations.
"This report highlights how, throughout 2024, individuals have been killed, beaten, and lynched by vigilante groups, religious leaders have been arbitrarily arrested, and homes and places of worship have been demolished," the USCIRF said.
(With inputs from PTI)