NEW DELHI, June 3: The government of India has reacted sharply reacted sharply to the US State Department’s report alleging attacks on minorities in India, calling it “ill-informed comments” by senior US officials.
In a statement, the Ministry of External Affairs on Friday said: “It is unfortunate that vote bank politics in practiced in international relations.” The government also said the assessment was based on “motivated inputs and biased views”.
“We have noted the release of the US State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom, and ill-informed comments by senior US officials. It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practised in international relations. We would urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided,” said foreign ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
“As a naturally pluralistic society, India values religious freedom and human rights. In our discussions with the US, we have regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence,” the official asserted. The US State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom alleges that in India, attacks on minority communities, including killings, assaults, and intimidation, continued throughout the year.
The report, released by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, talks about the status and violations of religious freedom across the world. The India section of the report avoids giving any opinion on the status of religious minorities, but documents what appeared in the media and the Indian government reports. It also liberally quotes the allegations of various non-profit organisations, and minority institutions on attacks on them, but it is mostly silent on the results of the investigations by officials and the response 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,” said the India section of the report. India has often said no foreign government has the right to comment on the state of constitutionally protected rights in the country.
India had earlier also rejected the US religious freedom report saying the foreign governments had no locus standi to pronounce judgement on the state of Indian citizens who have “constitutionally protected rights.”
(Manas Dasgupta)