On 15 July, more than 30 inter-faith organisations in the United States jointly passed a resolution urging the US Department of State to designate India as a country of "particular concern".
The resolution claims that the Indian government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party is promoting policies adhering to the agenda of Hindutva and thus, in turn resulting in systemic violations of religious freedoms and persecution of religious minorities especially the Muslims. It also accuses the government of oppressing dissenting voices of human rights advocates and "others speaking out against the violations".
The resolution mentions the nationwide protests in response to Citizenship Amendment Act which led to violence in North East Delhi in early 2020, that largely targeted Muslims. It also talks about the constitutional right of religious freedom being limited by the recent anti-conversion laws passes by various state governments.
It claims that the government on one hand is curbing press freedoms through "harassment, physical force and other means" and using social media to spread disinformation.
Violating Religious Freedom
The organisations believe that India is moving towards violating religious freedoms, civil and human right, and promoting intimidation of minorities especially the Muslim community that has been subject to discrimination and physical violence in the past years.
The organisations aim to take the resolution to the United States administration and ask them to issue a bold statement against the BJP-RSS Hindutva ideology that is dominant in India today. The United States and President Biden have never in the past criticised India owing to the significance of bilateral relations between the two nations.
Thirty organisations have already signed the resolution and there are more to join, the speaker reading the resolution mentioned. The signatories include Action Alliance to Redress 1219, Ambedkar International Center, American Muslim Institution, Association of Indian Muslims of America, Cambodian Development Foundation, Center for Pluralism, Church of Scientology National Affairs Office, Coalition Against Fascism in India, Coalition of Seattle Indian Americans, Council on American Islamic Relations among others.
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