MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal. File
| Photo Credit: ANI
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Wednesday (March 26, 2025) that the 2025 Annual Report of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) continues its pattern of issuing biased and politically motivated assessments.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal mentioned in a statement that, “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.”
“India is home to 1.4 billion people who are adherents to all religions known to mankind. However, we have no expectation that the USCIRF will engage with the reality of India’s pluralistic framework or acknowledge the harmonious coexistence of its diverse communities,” the statement added.
The statement further added, “Such efforts to undermine India’s standing as a beacon of democracy and tolerance will not succeed. In fact, it is the USCIRF that should be designated as an entity of concern.”
The USCIRF annual report recommended targeted sanctions against India’s external spy agency R&AW over alleged involvement in assassination plots against Sikh separatists.
The panel recommended that the U.S. government “designate India as a ‘country of particular concern’” for religious freedom violations and “impose targeted sanctions” against Vikash Yadav and R&AW.
Published – March 26, 2025 05:10 pm IST