Based On Misinformation, Flawed Understanding: India Rejects US Report On Religious Freedom

India on Tuesday rejected the US State Department report criticising India's religious freedom, saying it was based on misinformation and flawed understanding.

"We are aware of the release of the U.S. State Department 2022 Report on International Religious Freedom. Regrettably, such reports continue to be based on misinformation and flawed understanding," MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said in a statement.

"Motivated and biased commentary by some US officials only serves to undermine further the credibility of these reports. We value our partnership with the U.S. and will continue to have frank exchanges on issues of concern to us," he added.

Rashad Hussain, Ambassador at Large, Office of International Religious Freedom released a report that documents the status of religious freedom in countries across the world on Monday.

"Far too many governments continue to freely target faith community members within their borders," Rashad told reporters.

"Regarding these concerns, we're continuing to encourage the government to condemn violence and hold accountable those who engage in rhetoric that's dehumanising towards religious minorities," he said.

"There were numerous reports during the year of violence by law enforcement authorities against members of religious minorities in multiple states, including plainclothes police in Gujarat publicly flogging four Muslim men accused of injuring Hindu worshippers during a festival in October, and the Madhya Pradesh State government bulldozing Muslim-owned homes and shops following communal violence in Khargone in April," it said.

The report highlighted the anti-conversion laws passed by Haryanaand the Hijab row in Karnataka.

"In October, the Supreme Court failed to reach agreement in a review of a Karnataka High Court ruling that upheld a Karnataka government ban on religious garb in educational institutions, including wearing hijabs in an all-girls' school in that state," read the report.

"On April 26, 108 former senior government officials wrote Prime Minister Narendra Modi stating that government discrimination against religious minorities, "particularly Muslims, in states like Assam, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand," was undermining the country's constitution," the report added.

The report highlighted that in September, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat met with five prominent members of the Muslim community to listen to their concerns and discuss how to promote communal harmony between Muslims and Hindus.

"Bhagwat reportedly committed to continued meetings for the purpose of improving relations between the Muslim and Hindu communities. Bhagwat also met with Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, head of the All India Imam Organisation, at a Delhi-area madrassah run by that organisation. Media reported that some Muslim groups welcomed Bhagwat's engagement, while others described it as 'just optics' and preparation for the 2024 parliamentary elections," it stated.

"In 2021, Bhagwat had stated publicly that Hindus and Muslims in the country should not be treated differently because of religion and that killing non-Hindus for cow slaughter was an act against Hinduism," the report said.

US Commission for International Religious Freedom Chair Nury Turkel said the International Religious Freedom Report is an invaluable tool in the fight to hold violators accountable and improve global religious freedom conditions.

"With this report, the state department shows the entire world that the United States is committed to the fundamental value of religious freedom," he said.