DNA Decodes: US Report Targets India On Religious Freedom
A recent report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has triggered sharp reactions in India, with several voices accusing the organisation of bias and misinformation. The report alleges rising discrimination against minorities in India, claiming that mosques are being demolished to build temples and that certain anti-conversion laws violate religious freedom. USCIRF further describes the overall situation in India as “alarming.”
Indian observers, however, argue that such assessments are based on selective narratives rather than ground realities. Community leaders from the Muslim community, whose rights the report claims are under threat, have rejected its conclusions. Muslim clerics interviewed by media outlets stated that India remains a country where minorities freely practice their faith, and such reports are intended to provoke division and damage India’s global image.
In today’s DNA, Zee News managing editor, Rahul Sinha, analysed the US Report on Religious Freedom in India.
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भारत के खिलाफ अमेरिका का ‘मस्जिद कार्ड’
‘हलाल यूनिवर्सिटी’ में ‘इस्लामिक निवेश’ का DNA टेस्ट
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This is not the first time USCIRF has levelled such allegations against India. Critics within India question why the agency repeatedly publishes what they call one-sided evaluations. Many believe these reports are part of a broader campaign to create pressure on India on the global stage.
In response, Indian commentators have pointed to the United States’ own record on minority rights. Data from civil rights organisations show a significant rise in hate crimes in the US, particularly targeting Jewish and Muslim communities. Over the past five years, more than 10,000 hate incidents have been recorded against Jewish citizens. Meanwhile, hate crimes against Muslims have risen sharply, with 647 cases reported this year alone, a 70 per cent increase compared to last year. Instances of vandalism at Hindu and Buddhist temples have also been documented.
Analysts argue that these figures highlight a growing problem within the United States itself, raising questions over its credibility to issue such assessments. Many in India see the USCIRF report as part of a larger geopolitical tactic aimed at discrediting rising powers, a view echoed by references to revolutionary leader Che Guevara’s assertion that the U.S. resists any global shift that challenges its dominance.
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