USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom)

Source: The post USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom) has been created, based on the article “What does USCIRF report say about India?” published in “The Hindu” on 9th October is 2024.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper 2- International Relations-Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests.

Context: The article discusses the USCIRF’s October 2024 report on India, which claims religious freedom in India is worsening. The Indian government rejected the report, calling it biased. USCIRF’s recommendations are not binding but can influence U.S. foreign policy.

What is USCIRF?

1. The USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom) is a U.S. government agency created in 1998 under the International Religious Freedom Act.
2. It monitors religious freedom violations worldwide, excluding the U.S., based on international human rights standards, especially Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
3. USCIRF is independent and different from the U.S. State Department’s Office of International Religious Freedom (IRF).
4. USCIRF researches and monitors religious freedom conditions globally through travel, meetings, and studies.
5. It publishes reports listing countries for possible designation as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) if there are severe violations.
6. Countries not meeting this threshold but still violating religious freedom are added to the Special Watch List (SWL).

What did the 2024 USCIRF report say about India?

The 2024 USCIRF report highlighted the following concerns about India:

• Religious freedom has worsened throughout 2024, with minorities being killed and lynched by vigilante groups.
• Religious leaders have been arbitrarily arrested.
• Places of worship have been demolished.
• Laws such as the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, anti-conversion laws, and cow slaughter laws are discriminatory toward minorities.
• Indian officials have used hateful rhetoric, inciting violence and spreading false narratives about religious minorities.
• The report designated India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC) for its religious freedom violations.

Is USCIRF considered biased?

1. The USCIRF has been accused of bias by India, which rejected its 2024 report as “agenda-driven.”
2. The report cited examples of lynchings, arrests of religious leaders, and destruction of worship places in India, all backed by public sources.
3. India’s Ministry of External Affairs dismissed the USCIRF as politically motivated.
4. Despite the USCIRF’s claims being based on research and citations, its timing raised concerns about bias.
5. USCIRF is often viewed by countries as a U.S. foreign policy tool, which may influence these accusations of bias.

Question for practice:

Discuss the concerns raised by the 2024 USCIRF report about religious freedom in India and how the Indian government responded to the report.