Us Body On Religious Freedom Puts India On Watch List

[Harmindersingh]

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/us-body-on-religious-freedom-puts-india-on-watch-list/99133-2.html

Washington: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has placed India on its "Watch List" for New Delhi's largely inadequate response in protecting its religious minorities.

In a statement, USCIRF said India earned the Watch List designation due to the "disturbing increase" in communal violence against religious minorities – specifically Christians in Orissa in 2008 and Muslims in Gujarat in 2002 - and the largely inadequate response from the Indian government to protect the rights of religious minorities.

"It is extremely disappointing that India, which has a multitude of religious communities, has done so little to protect and bring justice to its religious minorities under siege," said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair.

USCIRF's India chapter was released this week to mark the first anniversary of the start of the anti-Christian violence in Orissa.

Any country that is designated on the USCIRF "Watch List" requires "close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the government."

Other countries currently on the Commission's Watch List are Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela.

[lsingh]

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/us-panel-religious-freedom-report-slams-modi-regime-for-religious-intolerance-india-fumes/543036-2.html

US panel religious freedom report slams Modi regime for religious intolerance, India fumes

Pallavi Ghosh, CNN-IBN

@pallavighcnnibn

Washington: India on Thursday strongly reacted to a report by a US Congress-established panel claiming that minorities in the country have been subjected to "violent attacks" and "forced conversions" after the Narendra Modi government assumed power in 2014, saying it does not take cognizance of such reports.

External Affairs Spokesperson Vikas Swarup said, "Our attention has been drawn to a report of the USCIRF which has passed judgement on religious freedom in India.

In its 2015 annual report, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom asked US President Barack Obama Administration to press the Indian government to publicly rebuke officials and religious leaders who make derogatory remarks about communities and to boost religious freedom standards in India.

#us panel #religious freedom #religious intolerance #narendra modi

The panel said that despite the country's status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, India has long struggled to protect minority religious communities or provide justice when crimes occur, which perpetuates a climate of impunity.

Incidents of religiously-motivated and communal violence reportedly have increased for three consecutive years, the panel said in its key findings. Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Odisha, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan tend to have the greatest number of religiously-motivated attacks and communal violence incidents.

Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and religious leaders, including from the Muslim, Christian and Sikh communities, attributed the initial increase to religiously-divisive campaigning in advance of India's 2014 general election.

"Since the election, religious minority communities have been subject to derogatory comments by politicians linked to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and numerous violent attacks and forced conversions by Hindu nationalist groups, such as Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP)," the report said. USCIRF said in December 2014, Hindu groups announced plans to forcibly "reconvert" at least 4,000 Christian families and 1,000 Muslim families to Hinduism in Uttar Pradesh on Christmas day as part of a so-called 'Ghar Wapsi' (returning home) programme.

"In advance of the programme, the Hindu groups sought to raise money for their campaign, noting that it cost nearly 200,000 rupees per Christian and 500,000 rupees per Muslim. After both domestic and international criticism, the day was 'postponed' according to Mohan Bhagwat, an RSS leader," it said.

The panel said Hindu groups also reportedly give monetary incentives to Hindus to convert Christians and Muslims to Hinduism. In early December, hundreds of Muslims reportedly were forcibly "reconverted" to Hinduism in a mass ceremony in Agra.

"Members of the RSS allegedly tricked dozens of Muslims families into attending a meeting by telling them they would be provided financial help, but instead a Hindu religious leader performed a Hindu conversion ceremony; an investigation is underway," it said.

The USCIRF said in September 2014, the Dalit Seventh-day Adventists filed a report in Uttar Pradesh that they were forcibly converted to Hinduism and that their church was converted to a Hindu temple.

It is not known if a police investigation was conducted in the matter. The nationalist groups also allegedly target Dalits if they are believed to be considering conversion away from Hinduism, it said.

According to the report, at an event honouring Indian Catholic saints in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated publicly, for the first time, that his government "will ensure that there is complete freedom of faith and that everyone has the undeniable right to retain or adopt the religion of his or her choice without coercion or undue influence".

This statement is notable given longstanding allegations that, as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2002, Modi was complicit in anti-Muslim riots in that state, it said. "Moreover, religious minority communities voice concern that high-ranking BJP members protect or provide support to these groups. In light of these concerns, Prime Minister Modi's statement in support of religious freedom made after the close of the reporting period (discussed more fully below) was a positive development," it said.

The USCIRF said Indian courts are still adjudicating cases stemming from large-scale Hindu-Muslim communal violence in Uttar Pradesh in 2013 and in Gujarat in 2002, Hindu-Christian communal violence in Odisha in 2007-2008, and Hindu-Sikh communal violence in Delhi in 1984.

"NGOs, religious leaders, and human rights activists allege religious bias and corruption in these investigations and adjudications. A one-member special judicial inquiry commission is still investigating the 2013 riots in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh that left dozens, mostly Muslims, dead and tens of thousands, mostly Muslims, displaced.

"Cases stemming from the 2002 Gujarat violence also continue, including a special court case pertaining to the killing of 68 people, including former Congress Party Parliamentarian Ehsan Jafri," it said.

(With inputs from PTI)

[eduardo]

Other countries currently on the Commission's Watch List are Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela.

How about Saudi, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Bangladesh, Myanmar, North Korea, The north African Islamic countries, Central African replublic, China, Israel (if you are a Muslim), Pakistan, etc etc.

Their list doesn't seem right to me, more like a political statement of some sort.

[Guest Jacfsing2]

How about Saudi, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Bangladesh, Myanmar, North Korea, The north African Islamic countries, Central African replublic, China, Israel (if you are a Muslim), Pakistan, etc etc.

Their list doesn't seem right to me, more like a political statement of some sort.

This is purely for the Democrats to gain the Sikh(Punjabi) vote. It's even worse sense you only really get 2 choices in America: The Evangelicals or the Corrupt Party. It's good to see a rise in 3rd parties like Libertarians.

[buddasingh]

Eduardo

Most of the countries you mention are listed as well as tier 1 countries of concern: http://www.uscirf.gov/all-countries/countries-of-particular-concern-tier-1

How about Saudi, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Bangladesh, Myanmar, North Korea, The north African Islamic countries, Central African replublic, China, Israel (if you are a Muslim), Pakistan, etc etc.

Their list doesn't seem right to me, more like a political statement of some sort.

This is purely for the Democrats to gain the Sikh(Punjabi) vote. It's even worse sense you only really get 2 choices in America: The Evangelicals or the Corrupt Party. It's good to see a rise in 3rd parties like Libertarians.