Minorities Being Attacked In India: State Department
WASHINGTON, DC (IANS) – The US State Department on May 15 noted “targeted attacks” on minorities, “home demolitions” and hate speeches against Muslims in India among threats facing religious freedom around the world.
The State Department outlined in detail “numerous reports during the year of violence by law enforcement authorities against members of religious minorities in multiple states” in India in its 2022 annual report on the state of freedom of religion around the world.
The report was released by Secretary of State Antony Blinken who noted both progress and “continuation, and in some instances, the rise of very troubling trends”.
Previewing the report earlier, a senior State Department official told reporters that regarding India the document outlined “continued targeted attacks against religious communities, including Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Hindu Dalits, and indigenous communities; dehumanizing rhetoric, including open calls for genocide against Muslims; lynching and other hate-fueled violence, attacks on houses of worship and home demolitions, and in some cases impunity and even clemency for those who’ve engaged in attacks on religious minorities – we’re also continuing to see, at the state level, some restrictions on religious attire”.
Rashad Hussain, the Ambassador at Large at the State Department for International Religious Freedom, cited the Hardwar speeches of December 2021 as particularly problematic.
“In India, legal advocates and faith leaders from across the country’s diverse religious communities condemned a case of extreme hate speech against Muslims in the city of Hardwar, calling for the country to uphold its historical traditions of pluralism and tolerance,” he said at the release of the report.
He was referring to a three-day meeting called the Dharma Sansad in December 2021, where speakers called for people to take up arms against Muslims.
A case was registered by the Uttarakhand police against the organizer. The other countries mentioned by Hussain were Russia, China, Afghanistan, and Saudi Arabia.
The State Department’s annual report has been critical of the state of religious freedom in India before, and, based on local news reports and accounts from civil society, it has listed instances and cases over the years.
India has rejected these unsolicited observations and remarks before and in recent years questioned America’s right to stand in judgment on other countries.
The US Commission on International Freedom has been far more critical of India and has recommended to the State Department to designate India as a “country of particular concern” four times. But the State Department has not taken up its suggestion yet. These designations are to be announced later in the year.
Mouli
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Check who’s the State Dept official ( ambassador-at-large) from whom originates this report ( he’s the author) and that would explain everything about this article and it’s import. Looks like there is a targeted attack against the Modi government from vested interest groups whose sole aim is to tarnish India in the eyes of the world
May 16, 2023ashok kumar
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do they know that some of these houses belong to mafia don who are involved in all the illegal activities and so they have to face the music.
May 16, 2023The accuser is a muslim , so what do you expect. My wife is a sikh and she has never experienced any form of discrimination
pemba
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It is western propaganda sponsored by Mr. Papu of India.
May 16, 2023The world should know that Mr. Papu of India is a member of
minority community, yet he is enjoying, all the benefits like
regular Indian Citizen.
Maneck Bhujwala
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What about speeches by white supremacist leaders in USA, and even the former president demeaning minority Mexican immigrants as criminals, and inciting the American public to launch mass murders of minorities and their places of worship,,and the violent attack against the symbol of democracy and freedom, the Capitol building, and the legislators inside it, to prevent confirmation of the election results ? What about the genocide against minority African American slaves and Native Americans whose lands were stolen by the white European settlers ? Are their crimes making the whole country accountable ? How does that compare against the allegations made about India ? How impartial can the authors of anti-India reports be when they may have vested interests like spreading Islam, or Christianity, etc. ?
May 16, 2023Maneck Bhujwala
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Why has Pakistan which has numerous terrorist groups who commit atrocities against minorities been left out of the list of countries cited ?
May 16, 2023AVINASH PATIL
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Rashad Hussain– stop using word minority, you are biased and now ur community became majority and started making nuisance
May 16, 2023Mohanan Nair
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The State Department should assess facts based on ground realities rather than blindly accepting the report of a person who can never be unbiased because of his known background. Before announcing its stand, the State Department should cross-check with its Ambassador in the country as to whether the report is factual or cooked-up rather than defacing its reputation by speaking out based on a false report from a person with parochial mind-set.
May 17, 2023Vijay
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Why does State Department take pleasure in tarnishing India’s name is beyond me? Why Mr. Blinken does not bother about Hindus in Pakistan who do not have equal rights. Muslims in India are pampered by the government.
May 20, 2023Hupender
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It all started after Atiq Ahmed live murder. No one was talking like this after Vikas Dubey death.
May 21, 2023