WASHINGTON: The United States (US) Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), alarmed by what it describes as India’s systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion, has once again urged the Biden administration to designate India a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).

The commission, an independent federal government commission, has recommended each year since 2020 that the US Department of State designate India as a CPC, most recently in its 2023 Annual Report.

In a statement released on Friday USCIRF also expressed deep concern over India’s purported increase in transnational targeting of religious minorities and their advocates, including journalists and lawyers. “USCIRF implores the US Department of State to designate India a CPC,” the statement added.

“The Indian government’s alleged involvement in the killing of Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and the plot to kill Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US are deeply troubling, and represent a severe escalation of India’s efforts to silence religious minorities and human rights defenders both within its country and abroad,” said USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck.

Commission alarmed by reported rise in transnational persecution of minorities by Delhi

“We call on the Biden administration to acknowledge the Indian government’s perpetration of particularly severe religious freedom violations and designate it as a country of particular concern,” he further added.

USCIRF also published an issue update on India’s state-level anti-conversion laws, providing further context on India’s use of these laws to target religious minorities. In September 2023, USCIRF held a hearing on religious freedom conditions in India and how the US government can work with the Indian government to address violations.

The commission sees cross-border attacks on Indian dissidents as a severe escalation of efforts to silence religious minorities and human rights defenders both within its borders and beyond.

USCIRF noted that transnational repression, defined as the use of intimidation, harassment, or violence against individuals living outside a state’s borders, has become a growing concern. It pointed out that India’s tactics include not only intimidation and harassment but also, as illustrated by recent events, assassination attempts.

The US Department of Justice’s November 2023 indictment alleging the Indian government’s involvement in a plot to assassinate Mr Pannun, a Sikh activist in New York has further heightened these concerns.

The commission also raised the issue of Indian authorities employing spyware and online harassment campaigns to target and intimidate journalists and activists advocating on behalf of religious minorities.

The statement noted that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to the United States in June, an online campaign was initiated against US Wall Street Journal journalist Sabrina Siddiqui after she questioned India’s religious freedom conditions.

“Within its own borders, Indian authorities have repeatedly used draconian legislation like the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and anti-conversion laws to systematically crack down on religious minorities, journalists, and activists,” USCIRF Commissioner David Curry said.

“Extending this repression to target religious minorities from India living abroad, including intimidation tactics against journalists, is especially dangerous and cannot be ignored,” he added.

“We urge the US government to continue its active engagement with senior Indian officials and international partners to ensure religious minorities can live and express themselves without fear of reprisal, whether in India or elsewhere.”

The commission also published an issue update on India’s state-level anti-conversion laws, providing additional context on how these laws are used to target religious minorities. In Sep 2023, it held a hearing on religious freedom conditions in India and explored ways the US can collaborate with India to address the alleged violations.

The commission, an independent, bipartisan federal government entity, was established by the US Congress to monitor, analyse, and report on religious freedom abroad. USCIRF makes foreign policy recommendations to the president, the secretary of state, and congress with the aim of deterring religious persecution.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2023