USCIRF report

USCIRF report

 

Context:

Recently, government of India rejected the US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) 2023 report stating it as biased and politically motivated.

 

Relevance:
(GS- 02 International Institutions)

 

Dimensions of the Article

  • What is USCIRF?
  • USCIRF’s Mandate
  • USCIRF’s Report on India
  • Arguments against the Report from India
  • Way forward

 

What is USCIRF?

  • USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. government agency that monitors universal right to freedom of religion or belief (FoRB).
  • It was established under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).

 

USCIRF’s Mandate

  • The USCIRF categorises countries under designations like “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) and  “Special Watch List” (SWL), to determine and highlight if that country is violating religious freedoms.
  • For instance, a country with a CPC tag, will invite sanctions or other U.S. actions.

 

USCIRF’s Report on India

  • The USCIRF’s report states that religious freedom in India in 2024 has been on a  deteriorating and concerning trajectory”.
  • It classified India as “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC).
  • It highlighted events where minorities were killed, lynched and even had their places demolished.
  • Certain acts of the government, like the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), anti-conversion laws, and cow slaughter regulations, were criticized for being discriminatory.
  • Additionally, the report highlighted how Indian officials have repeatedly employed hateful rhetoric and misinformation about religious minorities that led to violence and destruction of religious sites.

 

 

Arguments against the Report from India:

  • Perceived Bias: The Indian government argued that the report was biased and driven by a political agenda to misrepresent facts and create a damaged image of India.
  • Sovereignty and External Influence: The government asserted that it is an interference with the internal matters of the country and also claimed that the USCIRF, despite being independent, could be influenced by other U.S. foreign policy agendas.
  • Lack of Binding Power: There have been instances where the recommendations of USCIRF’s reports were not considered. It is up to the U.S. State Department to accept or reject the recommendations.

 

Way Forward

  • India should engage in diplomatic dialogues with USCIRF to discuss and clarify misconceptions rather than rejecting it.
  • It should primarily work on its policy frameworks that clearly dictates actions against activities like mob violence, hate speech, lynching and religious discrimination.
  • Government should enforce and give more power to National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to address any such violations.
  • As a rising global power, India could work with international organizations to align domestic policies with global human rights standards that could help India’s image in global forums.