India has dismissed the 2023 International Religious Freedom Report, released by the US Department of State, criticizing it as “deeply biased” and lacking a nuanced understanding of India’s social dynamics. The report highlighted the status of religious freedom around the world, and included other South Asian nations; Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, and Afghanistan.
The report was released by Secretary of State, Antony Blinken on June 26, 2024, at the Treaty Room in the Department of State in Washington DC. He was accompanied by United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, Ambassador Rashad Hussain.
“In India we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities…” noted Blinken while adding, “the report advances our vision for a future where everyone is able to choose and practice their beliefs, including the right not to believe or ascribe to a faith.”
He said respecting religious freedom not only upholds other fundamental rights such as freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and political participation, but also empowers individuals to freely express themselves, realize their full potential, and ultimately actively contribute to their communities.
Reacting to the report, India’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal told journalists in New Delhi, “We have noted the release by the US State Department of its report on International Religious Freedom for 2023. As in the past, the report is deeply biased, lacks understanding of India’s social fabric and is visibly driven by vote bank considerations and a prescriptive outlook. We, therefore, reject it.”
He added that the report is “a mix of imputations, misrepresentations, selective usage of facts, reliance on biased sources and a one-sided projection of issues…This extends even to the depiction of our Constitutional provisions and duly enacted laws of India. It has selectively picked incidents to advance a preconceived narrative as well.”
Jaiswal further said that in 2023, India officially addressed multiple incidents in the United States involving hate crimes and racial attacks against Indian nationals and other minorities. These incidents included vandalism and the targeting of places of worship, instances of violence and mistreatment involving law enforcement authorities, and concerns about political support for advocates of extremism and terrorism from abroad.
The 2023 report highlights that ten out of India’s 28 states – Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh – have enacted laws that restrict religious conversion through means such as “misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement, fraud, or marriage.”
It further stated, “There were reports of state inaction in investigating and prosecuting crimes against members of religious minority groups. Some human rights organizations said this emboldened those who sought to commit violence against members of religious minorities.”
While citing Human Rights Watch’s latest World Report, it further pointed out that police “failed to properly investigate crimes against minorities while administrative officials responded by summarily punishing victim communities, including those who protested such abuses.”
The report also recalled the joint statement issued by both governments during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s state visit to Washington in 2023, that reaffirmed “their shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, inclusion, pluralism, and equal opportunities for all citizens,” while adding both countries recognized “the diversity represented in their nations and celebrating the contributions of all their citizens.”
According to the report, both Modi and President Joe Biden in their joint statement during Biden’s visit to New Delhi for the G20 Summit last September reiterated “the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, inclusion, pluralism, and equal opportunities for all citizens are critical to the success our countries enjoy and that these values strengthen our relationship.”
Ambassador Hussian said, “In India, for example, Christian communities reported that local police aided mobs that disrupted worship services over accusations of conversion activities or stood by while mobs attacked them and then arrested the victims on conversion charges…”
Referring to Pakistan, Hussain said, “We witnessed two brutal killings related to accusations of blasphemy. A mob in northwest Pakistan dragged a man accused of blasphemy from a police station and killed him.”
While emphasizing that the report tracks threats to religious freedom in almost 200 countries, Blinken said, “For example, blasphemy laws in Pakistan help foster a climate of intolerance and hatred that can lead to vigilantes and mob violence…”
In Sri Lanka, the report documented, “During the year, the NCEASL stated it documented 43 anti-Christian cases of intimidation of and violence against pastors and their congregations, obstruction of worship services, discriminatory actions, and attacks on churches, compared with 80 cases in 2022. Of these, 17 involved threats, intimidation, or coercion, and 14 were discriminatory actions or practices…”
According to the report, in Nepal, “There were several instances of violence between religious groups during the year and vandalism against churches. In separate incidents reported by media and NGOs in September, riots broke out between Hindus and Muslims on two occasions in Madesh Province when Hindu religious processions passed mosques or Muslim neighborhoods. In both instances, Hindus said Muslims threw stones at their procession; Muslims said Hindus attacked mosques.”
Blinken thanked Ambassador Hussain and his team, US diplomats and partners of the United States around the world, for their help in bringing out the annual report.
