WASHINGTON: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom has called on the US administration to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), citing serious violations of religious freedom.
Speaking in Washington, USCIRF Chair Vicky Hartzler expressed deep concern over what she described as escalating abuses against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, in India.
She urged US policymakers to raise these concerns during trade and diplomatic engagements with India, emphasizing that religious freedom issues should not be overlooked in bilateral relations.
Referring to the situation in Kashmir, Hartzler stressed that people in the region should also be granted full religious freedoms.
Her remarks come amid growing international scrutiny of India’s human rights record, with calls for policy changes and legal reforms to ensure protection of minority rights.
The USCIRF’s recommendation, if accepted, could have significant diplomatic implications, as the CPC designation is reserved for countries engaged in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom.
