After the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its report on Friday, alleging a worsening of religious freedom in India and calling for the country to be designated as a “Country of Particular Concern”, India stated that the USCIRF should "desist from agenda-driven efforts" to malign India and concentrate on "productively addressing human rights issues in the United States".

In response to media inquiries, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “Our stance on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom is well known. It is a biased organisation with a political agenda.” He further asserted that the commission “continues to misrepresent facts and promote a motivated narrative about India”

“We reject this malicious report, which only serves to further discredit USCIRF,” Jais added.

Jaiswal urged USCIRF to “refrain from such agenda-driven efforts” and suggested that the organisation “focus its efforts more productively on addressing human rights issues within the United States”.

Indian Government Accused Of Targeting Religious Freedom Advocates, Says USCIRF Report

The report by the US Federal Government Commission claimed that religious freedom in India has deteriorated and recommended that it be classified as a "Country of Particular Concern".

The USCIRF report asserts that Indian authorities have arrested individuals who expose violations of religious freedom, including religious leaders, journalists, and human rights activists, without due process, with some detentions lasting for years.

The report also mentioned that following the election results, there were at least 28 attacks against Muslims, suggesting a connection between the increase in anti-Muslim violence and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s re-election campaign.