New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI) India on Friday categorically rejected criticism against it in an annual US State Department report on international religious freedom, describing it as deeply biased and visibly driven by vote-bank considerations.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the report selectively picked incidents to advance a preconceived narrative against India.

Also Read | Madhya Pradesh: CM Mohan Yadav Led-Government Gives Indian Citizenship Certificates to Three Applicants Under CAA (See Pics).

In his remarks at the release of the report, 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.

"As in the past, the report is deeply biased, lacks an understanding of India's social fabric and is visibly driven by votebank considerations and a prescriptive outlook," Jaiswal said.

Also Read | Mukhyanantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Scheme: In Election Year, Ajit Pawar's Maharashtra Budget Announces Host of Freebies Including Dole for Women.

"We therefore reject it. 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.

The MEA spokesperson said, "It has selectively picked incidents to advance a preconceived narrative as well. In some cases, the very validity of laws and regulations are questioned by the report."

Jaiswal said the report also appears to challenge the integrity of certain judgments given by Indian courts.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)