In this Feb 9, 2022 photo, Indian students participate in a procession to protest against barring Muslim girls wearing hijab from attending classes at some schools in the southern Indian state of Karnataka, in Kolkata, India. (BIKAS DAS / AP)
NEW DELHI – India has slammed the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) over what it described as biased and inaccurate comments on India.
According to India's foreign ministry, the comments reflect a severe lack of understanding of India, its constitutional framework and its plurality.
According to India's foreign ministry, the comments of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom reflect a severe lack of understanding of India, its constitutional framework and its plurality
"We have seen the biased and inaccurate comments on India by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)," Arindam Bagchi, India's foreign ministry spokesperson said in response to a media query on Saturday evening.
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"These comments reflect a severe lack of understanding of India and its constitutional framework, its plurality and its democratic ethos."
On Saturday the USCIRF on its social media platform quoted its commissioner David Curry, saying the commission is "concerned about the Indian government's continued repression of critical voices — especially religious minorities and those reporting on and advocating for them."
"Regrettably, USCIRF continues to misrepresent facts time and again in its statements and reports in pursuance of its motivated agenda. Such actions only serve to strengthen concerns about the credibility and objectivity of the organization," Bagchi said.
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