US Commission on atrocities against the minorities’ rights

It is no wonder the annual report by US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which studies international religious freedom and makes recommendations to the government, for 2025 has perturbed the Modi government as it detailed the attacks and discrimination against religious minorities in India. The physical and cultural attacks against Muslim and Christian religious minorities are not so much undeniably occurring on a regular basis in the country as have become increasingly alarming by the day. Nevertheless the growing opposition against it in and out the Parliament, the central and state governments have not taken corrective or preventive measures. Alongside denying and covering up the aforesaid naked truths, the government and ruling parties are scrambling to orchestrate unrealistic campaign by resorting to Godi media. The US commission has pointed out that laws like UAPA, FCRA, and CAA are being used to target minorities and civil society organizations. The report specifically pointed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hate speeches as part of his election campaigns. However, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that beyond the natural concerns about religious freedom the campaign was part of an agenda. At the same time, it is worth noting that the CIRF report also pointed to the poor treatment of religious minorities in neighboring countries, which are not aligned with India, including Pakistan, China, Myanmar, and Iran. Notably, this is the sixth report in this series on India. The latest of these incidents is the Yogi Adityanath government’s banning of prayers in public places and on balconies of homes for Eid-ul-Fitr, the most important day for Muslims. This occurs when anti-Muslim hate campaigns and communal attacks in North India happening alongside Holi and Ram Navami are continuing. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami is busy closing down madrasas in the state. Dhami was the first to implement the uniform civil code in the state. When such atrocities against minorities are being reported in the international media, what is the point of the government’s denial? It should not be forgotten that the US Commission submitted the report after directly investigating and studying the incidents in the country. Accusing the CIRF of conducting a deliberate anti-India campaign is certain to be questioned, considering the fact that Modi's India views the United States as a close friend in both under Biden and Trump.

In order to point out that India is involved in a culpable violation of religious freedom, the U.S Commission alongside citing numerous examples in its detailed report pointed to incidents including targeted killings, destruction of property, demolition of places of worship, and abuse of anti-terrorism laws. Our government is pretending not to see how the planned religious minority extermination project, which anyone living in this country with eyes and ears can see and hear every day, is badly affecting the image of the country. At the same time, the commission refuses to ignore the atrocities being committed against religious minorities in Pakistan, which was part of the Indian subcontinent before 1947, and Bangladesh, which came into existence with our military support in 1971. The atrocities happening against religious minorities in Bangladesh following the ouster of Hasina Wajid cannot be justified in any way. That Hindu, Buddhist, and Christian minorities who were part of the ruling Awami League came under attack when revenge against Awami League got flared up cannot justify the violation of international laws. The interim government in Bangladesh should not lose sight of the fact that the violence against minorities in that country is adversely affecting religious minorities in neighboring India. It has become irrelevant to remind Pakistan of human rights in the thick of terrorism and extremism currently happening in the country. It is important to recall at this point that the UN member states have no freedom to ignore or undermine the 1992 UN declaration that sought to ensure religious, linguistic and ethnic minorities their rights to live a secure life and to protect their religious, cultural and linguistic rights. Economic or military power and authority cannot justify atrocities and human rights violations.