Deeply biased; driven by votebank considerations, says India trashing US report on religious freedom
New Delhi, Jun 28: In an unusually hard-hitting response to criticism against it in a US government report on religious freedom, India on Friday described the findings as "deeply biased", visibly driven by "votebank" considerations and a mix of imputations and selective usage of facts.
Dismissing the report, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said it selectively picked incidents to advance a "preconceived narrative" and even appeared to challenge the integrity of certain legal judgments pronounced by Indian courts.
The US State Department's 2023 report on religious freedom referred to violent attacks on minority communities in India including killings and assaults besides citing violence in the northeastern state of Manipur.
"As in the past, the report is deeply biased, lacks understanding of India's social fabric and is visibly driven by vote bank considerations and a prescriptive outlook. We, therefore, reject it," Jaiswal said.
"The exercise itself is a mix of imputations, misrepresentations, selective usage of facts, reliance on biased sources and a one-sided projection of issues," he said.
"This extends even to the depiction of our Constitutional provisions and duly enacted laws of India. It has selectively picked incidents to advance a preconceived narrative as well," Jaiswal added.
The spokesperson argued that the report appeared to "challenge" the integrity of certain legal judgements given by Indian courts.
"In some cases, the very validity of laws and regulations are questioned by the report, as are the right of legislatures to enact them," he said.
"The report has also targeted regulations that monitor misuse of financial flows into India. Suggesting that the burden of compliance is unreasonable, it seeks to question the need for such measures," Jaiswal said.
He said the United States has even more stringent laws and regulations and would surely not prescribe such solutions for itself.
Human rights and respect for diversity have been and remain a legitimate subject of discussion between India and the US, he added.
"In 2023, India has officially taken up numerous cases in the US of hate crimes, racial attacks on Indian nationals and other minorities, vandalization and targeting of places of worship, violence and mistreatment by law enforcement authorities, as well as the according of political space to advocates of extremism and terrorism abroad," he said.
"However, such dialogues should not become a licence for foreign interference in other polities," Jaiswal said.
In his remarks at the release of the report on Wednesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there has been a "concerning increase" in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, and demolitions of homes and places of worship of members of minority faith communities in India.
"In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities," Blinken said.
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Karnataka: College student dies by suicide in Dharwad, 3 policemen suspended
Dharwad (Karnataka) (PTI): A college student allegedly died by suicide here, following which three policemen were suspended over allegations of harassment linked to his death by the victim's family.
Aditya Myageri, a BSc student at a private college here, was among 18 students detained by the Vidyagiri police on April 25 during an anti-drug drive, police said on Wednesday.
He hailed from Belur village in Bagalkot district, but was staying with his friends at a rented accommodation in Girinagar area of Dharwad city, police said.
Among the 18 students tested, Aditya was among the 10 who had tested negative for ganja consumption and was subsequently released.
Some of his roommates, however, tested positive.
According to police, Aditya's family alleged that despite testing negative, he was harassed by police. They also claimed some policemen demanded Rs 2,000 to settle the matter and threatened legal action if he failed to pay.
He had called his mother asking for money, but she could not arrange it immediately, the family claimed.
On Monday night, Aditya allegedly died by suicide by hanging from a ceiling fan at his rented accommodation, with his family alleging police harassment and pressure over demand for money drove him to the extreme step, a senior police officer said.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told PTI that an unnatural death case has been registered at Vidyagiri police station. Three policemen have been suspended over the allegations, and further investigation is underway.
