GUWAHATI: In a firm response to the recent report released by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) regarding religious freedom in India, the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, dismissed its findings as biased and driven by a political agenda.
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The USCIRF report accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of reinforcing discriminatory nationalist policies and highlighted concerns over communal violence disproportionately affecting religious minorities, including Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Jews, and Adivasis.
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It further alleged that various laws, such as the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and anti-conversion and cow slaughter laws, were being used to target religious minorities and their advocates, leading to arbitrary detentions and monitoring.
Additionally, the report cited instances of strict monitoring of news media and NGOs, along with raids on the offices and homes of journalists. Jaiswal dismissed the USCIRF's credibility, stating that the organisation was biased and driven by a political agenda.