ICC Note:

India continues to refute the report released by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) regarding the state of religious freedom in India. USCIRF kept India as a Tier 2 violator of religious freedom, but warned that if the religious freedom situation did not improve, India could soon be recommended as a County of Particular Concern. Christians in India have faced escalating hostility from radical Hindu nationalists. In 2016 alone, ICC has recorded over 80 attacks on Christians and their places of worship in India. 

5/6/2016 India (Christian Today) – China and India have strongly refuted the findings of a US report that condemned violations of religious freedom around the world.

China was so angry it lodged a formal diplomatic protest after the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a bipartisan federal body that defends the universal right to freedom of religion or belief around the world, condemned “systematic, egregious and ongoing abuses”.

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On India, the same report said: “In 2015, religious tolerance deteriorated and religious freedom violations increased in India.” It also said: “India is on a negative trajectory in terms of religious freedom.”

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the US commission have been at war since Modi was denied a US visa in the wake of a earlier report by the commission, in 2002. The commission had itself wanted to visit India this year, but was denied visas.

Vikas Swarup, spokesman for India’s external affairs ministry, attacked the report.

He said: “Our attention has been drawn to the recent report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which once again fails to show proper understanding of India, its constitution and its society. India is a vibrant pluralistic society founded on strong democratic principles. The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens including the right to freedom of religion,” Indian Express reported.

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