A U.S. panel on religious freedom stated on Tuesday that the situation for minorities in India is worsening and it suggested that sanctions be placed on India’s foreign intelligence agency due to its purported role in plans to kill Sikh separatists.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom noted in its yearly report that Vietnam, under communist rule, had intensified its efforts to oversee and manage religious activities. It suggested that Vietnam should be labeled a “country of special concern.”
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On Wednesday, India rejected the report, labeling it as part of a trend of “biased and politically driven evaluations.”
India claimed that the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) ought to be labeled an “entity of concern” since it dismissed its report indicating that minorities were experiencing worsening treatment in the nation.
“The USCIRF’s persistent attempts to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India’s vibrant multicultural society reflect a deliberate agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom,” Indian foreign ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
Washington has aimed to strengthen relationships with both India and Vietnam due to their mutual worries regarding China’s increasing power in Asia. Analysts indicate that, consequently, Washington has ignored human rights concerns.
Since 2023, India’s purported focus on Sikh separatists in the U.S. and Canada has become a complication in U.S.-India relations, with Washington accusing former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav in a thwarted scheme. India categorizes Sikh separatists as security risks and has refuted any involvement.
