India rebukes America for preaching on religious freedom, says it is motivated by vote bank thinking

New Delhi: The Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has strongly criticized the US State Department’s report on international religious freedom. he/she described it as completely biased and without understanding India’s social structure. The ministry rejected the report, suggesting that it was motivated by votebank considerations ahead of the presidential election. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that the report selectively included events to further a biased narrative against India.

Foreign Ministry rejected the US report
Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Ranjir Jaiswal said, “We have seen the report on International Religious Freedom for 2023 released by the US State Department. As in the past, this report is completely biased, lacks understanding of India’s social structure, and is clearly driven by vote bank considerations and interventionist mentality. Therefore, we reject it.”

India criticized the US report
Ranjir Jaiswal strongly criticized the report, saying that it contains many false allegations, incorrect information, incorrect choice of facts and reliance on discriminatory sources. Also, this report shows India’s religious freedom issues in a one-sided way. he/she also said that the report misrepresents India’s constitution and law. The report also questions the validity of some laws and rules. The report also questions whether the Indian legislature has the right to make these laws, and even challenges the fairness of the decisions of Indian courts.

What is the uproar in the American report?
The Foreign Ministry has also termed the report’s criticism of the rules governing the remittances coming into India as incorrect. Ranjir Jaiswal also said that the US’s own similar rules are even more difficult to follow. The US State Department report has raised issues such as violence against religious minorities in India, Ghar Wapsi and attacks on religious places. The report also said that US officials have raised concerns about religious freedom with India throughout the year.

India gave advice to America
Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ranjir Jaiswal has called this report false. he/she says that human rights and diversity have been and will continue to be a major topic of discussion between India and the US. he/she also informed that India has officially raised several cases of hate crimes in the US in 2023, racial attacks on Indians and other minorities, attacks on places of worship, violence and abuse by law enforcement, and political space given to supporters of extremism and terrorism abroad. Ranjir Jaiswal has also warned that such talks should not become a license to interfere in the internal affairs of any country.