New Delhi, Nov 10: India has strongly rejected recent comments by officials from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) regarding alleged attacks on Sikh gurdwaras, dismissing the panel as a biased organization operating with a blatantly political agenda.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal criticized the US body following statements by USCIRF officials, including Commissioner David Anderson, who urged Washington to press New Delhi over reported vigilante incidents at religious places. Anderson had also suggested linking US security assistance to India’s handling of religious freedom concerns.
Responding directly to the remarks, Jaiswal stated that the USCIRF is an ill-informed entity whose comments lack credibility. He questioned the panel’s selective focus, pointing out that the commission consistently remains silent regarding attacks on places of worship, hate crimes, and racial abuse directed against the Indian community within the United States.
The diplomatic pushback underscores New Delhi’s firm stance against foreign advisory panels commenting on domestic Indian affairs while ignoring similar issues on their home ground.
