WASHINGTON: India was not designated a violator of religious freedom because US Secretary of State Antony Blinken felt that the situation in India did not warrant such a designation, says the US State Department.

On Friday, Secretary Blinken designated Burma, China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan as Countries of Particular Concern …” for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom.” India, however, was spared.

For the last three years, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has demanded that because of widespread discriminations against religious minorities, India should also be put on the violators’ list.

USCIRF is a bipartisan agency of the US Federal Government which monitors religious freedom across the globe and recommends various actions against the violators.

“Secretary Blinken, given the totality of the facts and the circumstances, determined that religious freedom concerns in India do not warrant a Country of Particular Concern designation or placement on the Special Watch List,” said State Department Spokesperson Ned Price when asked why India was excluded.

“But of course, these are conversations that we continue to have with our Indian partners and with partners around the world,” the spokesperson added.

In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended that India be designated a “country of particular concern” for engaging in or tolerating “systematic, ongoing, and egregious” violations of religious freedom.

The report noted that in 2022, religious freedom conditions in India remained poor. During the year, the Indian government at the national, State, and local levels continued to promote and enforce policies, including laws targeting religious conversion, interfaith relationships, and cow slaughter, that negatively affect Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits and Adivasis.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2022

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.