New Delhi, April 28: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Tuesday urged the State Department to add India to its list of nations who have poor records on protecting religious freedom, giving the country harshest rating since 2004. In its annual report for 2020, the USCIRF said the Indian government has allowed "campaigns of harassment and violence" against Muslims and other religious minorities.

Referring to the continuous Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the bipartisan commission, created in 1998 by Congress to make policy recommendations about global religious freedom, noted: "In 2019, religious freedom conditions in India experienced a drastic turn downward, with religious minorities under increasing assault...The national government used its strengthened parliamentary majority to institute national-level policies violating religious freedom across India, especially for Muslims." Why Citizenship Amendment Act+NRC Raise Fear And Concerns: A Multi-Dimensional Take.

The USCIRF proposed designating India as a "country of particular concern" in the annual report. "The national and various state governments also allowed nationwide campaigns of harassment and violence against religious minorities to continue with impunity, and engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence against them. Based on these developments, in this report, USCIRF recommends CPC designation for India," the commission said. CAA Protests: 'Those Born Before 1987 or Whose Parents Are Born Before 1987 Are Indians', Says Government.

US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Annual Report 2020:

The USCIRF has no power to enforce its recommendations, but the State Department is required to consider them. Nadine Maenza, vice-chair of the commission, said the most "startling and disturbing" was India’s passage of a Citizenship Amendment Act. "This potentially exposes millions of Muslims to detention, deportation and statelessness when the government completes its plan for a nationwide, national register," she said.

The USICRF said the incidents of lynching are mostly happening in states ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). "Violence against Christians also increased, with at least 328 violent incidents, often under accusations of forced conversions. These attacks frequently targeted prayer services and led to the widespread shuttering or destruction of churches," it observed.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 28, 2020 09:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).