New Delhi: The government of India on Monday strongly rejected a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, accusing the body of presenting a distorted and selective assessment of religious freedom conditions in the country.
Responding to the report, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India categorically rejects what he described as a motivated and biased portrayal. He stated that the commission has repeatedly relied on questionable sources and ideological narratives rather than objective facts while assessing the situation in India.
According to the government, such recurring misrepresentations undermine the credibility of the commission and reflect a pattern of selective criticism directed at India.
Jaiswal also said the commission should instead examine incidents occurring within the United States, including cases of vandalism and attacks targeting Hindu temples. He added that the growing intolerance and intimidation faced by members of the Indian diaspora in the United States deserved serious attention.
The commission’s annual report, released a day earlier, recommended targeted sanctions against organisations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Research and Analysis Wing over alleged violations of religious freedom.
It also urged the US government to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern,” a category reserved for nations accused of systematic and severe violations of religious freedom.
The report claimed that conditions related to religious freedom in India had deteriorated during 2025. It alleged that authorities had introduced or strengthened laws affecting religious minorities, including stricter anti conversion legislation in several states.
It further cited incidents of communal clashes in states such as Maharashtra, Odisha, and Uttar Pradesh, and criticised certain legislative measures including the Waqf (Amendment) Act.
India, however, dismissed the claims and maintained that the report fails to present an accurate and balanced understanding of the country’s social and legal framework regarding religious freedom.
