The US Fee on Worldwide Spiritual Freedom has really helpful focused sanctions towards India’s exterior spy company Analysis and Evaluation Wing (R&AW) over alleged involvement in assassination plots towards Sikh separatists, information company Reuters reported. The fee, in its annual report launched on Tuesday, additionally alleged that minorities in India face deteriorating therapy, the Reuters report added.
The panel additionally really helpful the US authorities “designate India as a ‘nation of explicit concern” for spiritual freedom violations.
India hasn’t instantly responded to the panel advice.
The fee additionally focused communist-ruled Vietnam for allegedly stepping up efforts to control and management spiritual affairs. The panel really helpful Vietnam – a rustic like India with which Washington has sought to construct shut ties given shared issues about China – even be designated a “nation of explicit concern”.
Citing analysts, Reuters reported that the US has lengthy seen India as a counter to China’s rising affect in Asia and elsewhere, and, therefore, neglected human rights points in India. The Trump administration is unlikely to impose sanctions on the R&AW, because the panel’s suggestions are usually not binding.
Since 2023, tensions have grown between India and the US over allegations that India focused Sikh separatists within the US and Canada. The difficulty escalated when Washington charged ex-Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav in reference to a foiled assassination plot of pro-Khalistan chief Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Whereas India views Sikh separatists as a safety risk, it has firmly denied any involvement in such operations.
“In 2024, spiritual freedom situations in India continued to deteriorate as assaults and discrimination towards spiritual minorities continued to rise,” the US fee mentioned within the report.
It alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Get together “propagated hateful rhetoric and disinformation towards Muslims and different spiritual minorities” throughout final yr’s Lok Sabha election marketing campaign, Reuters reported.
The US State Division reviews on human rights and non secular freedom have famous minority abuses lately. India calls them “deeply biased”.
The Indian authorities and Modi have denied discrimination, stating that insurance policies corresponding to electrification drives and subsidy schemes assist all communities.
(With inputs from Reuters)
