‘Biased and inaccurate’, India slams US religious panel report

New Delhi: India on Saturday termed the US Commission on International Religious Freedom’s (USCIRF) comments expressing concern over the government’s action against critics and calling out the country for violations of religious freedom as ‘biased and inaccurate’.

Arindam Bagchi, spokespersons in the Ministry of External affairs, said that USCIRF continues to misrepresent facts time and again in its statements and reports in pursuance of its motivated agenda.

He said that these comments reflect a severe lack of understanding of India and its constitutional framework, its plurality and its democratic ethos.

“We have seen the biased and inaccurate comments on India by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom,” said Bagchi in response to media queries on the comments on India made by the USCIRF.

“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 organisation,” he added.

Earlier on Saturday, the USCIRF on its Twitter handle had quoted its Commissioner David Curry as saying, “USCIRF is concerned about the Indian government’s continued repression of critical voices, especially religious minorities and those reporting on and advocating for them.”