In a significant shift, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has demoted India to the lowest ranking of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC) in their 2020 report on global religious freedom. This marks a drop from the previous year when India was listed as a “Tier 2 country”. The last time India was placed in the CPC category was back in 2004.
This new ranking places India in the company of nations like China, North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, which are also categorized as CPC by the USCIRF.
The Criteria for CPC Designation
The designation of a nation as a CPC is the most severe recommendation made by the USCIRF in relation to violations of international religious freedom. Following this is the listing of ‘Special Watch List Countries’ for countries with severe violations.
Reasons Behind India’s Downgrade
According to the report, India experienced a steep decline in its standing in 2019 due to several reasons. Key among these was the introduction of the Citizenship Amendment Act, the proposed National Register for Citizens, anti-conversion laws, and the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Additionally, the USCIRF raises concerns over how the Indian government utilized its parliamentary majority to implement national level policies that allegedly violate the religious freedom of minorities, Muslims in particular.
On a related note, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) had previously expressed criticism towards the Indian government for what they termed as “growing Islamophobia” within the country.
Suggested Actions for the U.S.
The USCIRF report recommends that the U.S. government should enforce strict measures against India under the “International Religious Freedom Act” (IRFA), which is aimed at advocating religious freedom in countries that are thought to be engaging in or tolerating violations of this right. The Act also seeks to advocate for individuals persecuted for their religious beliefs and activities in foreign countries.
Further, the Commission suggested the U.S. impose targeted sanctions on Indian government agencies and officials believed to have severely violated religious freedom.
The Indian Government’s Reaction
The Indian government has rejected the findings of the USCIRF report, terming it “biased and tendentious”.
About the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
The USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, committed to preserving the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad. It serves as an advisory body to the U.S. Congress and is headquartered in Washington DC. USCIRF reviews cases of religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations to the U.S. government officials including the President, Secretary of State, and Congress.
