United States: A senior government official reveals that the United States is urging India to denounce ongoing incidents of religious violence. This call comes just a month before Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s scheduled state visit to the United States.

In its recently published annual report on religious freedom, the US State Department highlights incidents of attacks against religious minorities, including Muslims and Christians, within the world’s most populous nation.

During a briefing with journalists on the condition of anonymity, a senior US official expressed his concern over the “continued targeted attacks” on religious minorities in India. The official, while acknowledging India’s vast potential, expressed sadness regarding the ongoing incidents affecting the country’s religious minorities.

“Regarding these concerns, we are continuing to encourage the government to condemn violence and hold accountable [those] who engage in rhetoric that is dehumanising towards religious minorities,” the official stated.

The State Department’s report, which draws from direct research and information provided by media and advocacy groups, raises concerns over issues such as home demolitions targeting Muslims and instances of public flogging of Muslims by police in Gujarat, Mr. Modi’s home state.

With a population of 1.4 billion, India consists of various religious communities. Hindus constitute approximately 80 percent of the population, Muslims make up nearly 14 percent, and Christians represent approximately 2 percent of the country’s populace.

New Delhi has consistently resisted US criticism concerning religious freedom, particularly from the autonomous US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). The USCIRF recently reiterated its recommendation to the State Department to include India on a blacklist due to concerns over its record on religious freedom.

In its annual report, the USCIRF stated that in 2022, the Indian government, at various levels, actively endorsed and implemented policies that were discriminatory based on religion. These policies encompassed laws pertaining to religious conversion, interfaith relationships, the wearing of hijabs (headscarves), and cow slaughter.

The USCIRF recommended that the US State Department classify India as a “country of particular concern” in terms of religious freedom, citing ongoing and severe violations in the predominantly Hindu nation. However, it is widely anticipated that US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will not include India in the list later this year, as the US has been fostering closer relations with India for several decades, in part to counterbalance China.

During the presentation of the report, Blinken expressed concern over the actions of authorities in China, Iran, Myanmar, and Nicaragua, but made no specific mention of India.

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