A United States government team that monitors religious freedom around the world has been denied visas to India, New Delhi’s embassy in Washington confirmed Friday. Defending its decision, the Indian Embassy in Washington said in a statement: “The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens including the right to freedom of religion”.
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Later, responding to George’s statement, the Indian embassy said that foreign agencies such as the USCIRF had no “locus standi” to pass judgement or comment on the state of Indian citizens’ constitutionally protected rights.
USCIRF has been able to travel to many countries, including those that are among the worst offenders of religious freedom, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China and Burma, Mr George said.
“We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in effect, of these visas. As a pluralistic, non-sectarian, and democratic state, and a close partner of the United States, India should have the confidence to allow our visit”, said Robert P George, chairman of USCIRF.
Sources in Indian Government further clarified that India does not allow groups like this from any country to visit India and there is no precedence of USCIRF being allowed in the past too.
In its 2015 report, the bipartisan USCIRF said incidents of religiously motivated and communal violence in India had reportedly increased for three consecutive years. In a letter addressed directly to Prime Minister Modi, 32 Congress members urged the Indian government to address “increasing intolerance and violence experienced by members of [India’s] religious minority community”.
According to reports, this is not the first time the USCIRF members have not been issued visas. The debate was ignited by a spate of lynchings of Muslims accused of eating beef a year ago (the cow is sacred to Hindus, who constitute a majority of India’s population), prompting fears that right-wing ideologues aligned with Modi’s party are targeting the country’s religious minorities.
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The commission provides policy recommendations to US lawmakers and issues an annual report.
