WASHINGTON: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has expressed serious concern over the rising persecution of minorities in India, attributing it to the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
In its latest report, the Commission highlighted the promotion of religious hatred and intolerance, which has severely impacted the country’s Muslim and Christian communities.
The USCIRF pointed to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s failure to prevent communal violence, stating that its policies have encouraged extremist groups to target religious minorities. The report also criticized the Modi administration for depriving minorities of their fundamental rights, including their right to vote in some instances.
The Commission emphasized that incidents of lynching, especially of Muslims, have persisted across India. The demolition of mosques and other Islamic symbols has been a recurring issue, further fueling communal tensions.
A recent example of such violence occurred on September 5 in Telangana state, where a mob of over two thousand people attacked the properties of Muslims in Jainoor Mandal, Asifabad district.
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According to reports by Kashmir Media Service (KMS), the mob vandalized shops and businesses in the area, with no intervention from local law enforcement.
In a controversial claim, Indian Minister Giriraj Singh alleged that nearly 300,000 mosques across India were illegally constructed. His comments, which followed protests against a mosque in Shimla, have sparked fears among the Muslim community about a broader agenda to erase Islamic symbols and heritage from the country.
The international watchdog urged the Indian government to take immediate measures to protect religious minorities and ensure their rights under both Indian and international law. The Commission also called for stronger international pressure to hold the Modi administration accountable for encouraging communal violence and its failure to protect vulnerable communities.
