India slams US report on minority attacks, cites gun violence in the country
India on Friday slammed a report released by the US State Department on international religious freedom that attacks on members of minority communities, including killings, assaults, and intimidation, throughout the year in the country.
Issuing a statement, the ministry of external affairs (MEA) said it had noted the report and ill-informed comments by senior US officials and it was unfortunate that vote bank politics was being practised in international relations.
“We’d urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided,” the read the statement issued by MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
“As a naturally pluralistic society, India values religious freedom and human rights. In our discussions with the US, we’ve regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence,” the statement added.
India had previously rejected the US religious freedom report, saying it saw no locus standi for a foreign government to pronounce on the state of its citizens’ constitutionally protected rights.
Released by secretary of state Antony Blinken, Thursday’s report gave its own perspective to the status and violations of religious freedom across the globe and had separate chapters on each of the countries.
The India section of the report avoided giving any opinion on the status of religious minorities, but documented various aspects of it as appeared in the Indian press and government reports. It also quoted allegations of various non-profit organisations, and minority institutions on attacks on them, but most of the time was silent on the results of investigations being undertaken by officials and responses of the government.
“Attacks on members of religious minority communities, including killings, assaults, and intimidation, occurred throughout the year. These included incidents of ‘cow vigilantism’ against non-Hindus based on allegations of cow slaughter or trade in beef,” read the India section of the report.
It further said non-Hindus were arrested for making comments in the media or on social media that were “considered offensive to Hindus or Hinduism.