US report highlights religious freedom violations in India and Pakistan.
The US State Department has issued its annual report on international religious freedom on Wednesday.
The US report discusses the religious freedom violation and plight of minorities of India and Pakistan.
It talks about the distressing conditions faced by Muslim and Christian communities in both countries including discrimination, harassment, and violence.
Alarming Trends in India:
The situation in India, according to the report, is getting worse day by day, especially for the Muslims and Christians.
Discriminatory practices against these communities have become increasingly common, with several high-profile incidents illustrating the severity of the issue.
Public Protests and Letters of Concern:
Approximately 20,000 Christians gathered in New Delhi to protest against the surge in violence directed at their community in February.
Also read: FM criticizes US’s discriminatory approach to Religious Freedom
The situation escalated further in March when 93 former senior government officials wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing their alarm over the ongoing harassment of Christians by political party leaders.
Harassment and Legal Misuse:
The report highlights cases where Christians and Muslims were arrested under anti-conversion laws, often based on unfounded accusations.
“Christians and Muslims were arrested under laws banning forced religious conversions, which religious groups said in some cases were used to harass and imprison members of religious minority groups on false and fabricated charges or for lawful religious practices,” states the report.
Police Complicity:
Surprisingly, the report documents instances where local police either participated in or turned a blind eye to mob violence against Christians.
US State Department report on international religious freedom 2023 is critical of India’s track record.
The report adds, “During the year, senior U.S. officials continued to raise concerns about religious freedom issues with their Indian counterparts.”
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“In some cases, Christian groups said local police aided mobs that disrupted worship services over accusations of conversion activities or stood by while mobs attacked Christians and then arrested the victims on conversion charges.”
Escalating Violence:
Violence against the Christian community has also rising dramatically in India.
The National Crime Records Bureau recorded 272 incidents of communal violence in 2022, including attacks based on allegations of cow slaughter or beef trading involving Muslims.
Inconsistent Government Response:
Despite positive statements from Indian government officials, international NGOs like Human Rights Watch have criticized the contradictory actions and statements from BJP members.
The NGOs have called for thorough investigations and prosecutions of those responsible for violence against minorities.
“International nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) such as Human Rights Watch (HRW), however, stated that the ‘actions and statements by members and supporters of his (Modi’s) BJP party [Bharatiya Janata Party] contradicted’ government officials’ positive statements. They further stated that the government should investigate and prosecute those responsible for carrying out violence against members of minority groups,” it states.
“Attacks on members of religious minority groups, including killings, assaults, and intimidation, occurred in various states throughout the year, including cases of “cow vigilantism” based on allegations that Muslim men were participating in cow slaughter or trade in beef,” the report said.
Grave Concerns in Pakistan:
The situation in Pakistan is equally dire as report details widespread religious intolerance and violence targeting minorities.
Blasphemy Accusations:
In 2023, 329 individuals were accused of blasphemy, with Muslims constituting 75% of those accused, Ahmadis 20%, and Christians 3.3%.
The Federal Investigation Agency arrested 140 people over blasphemy allegations on social media, with 11 sentenced to death, and two of these sentences upheld by higher courts.
Also read: Christians under attack in Pakistan: A timeline of violent incidents
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority imposed restrictions on Wikipedia’s services due to blasphemous content and blocked over 71,000 URLs at the government’s request.
In August, the Senate passed legislation increasing penalties for blasphemy.
Violent Attacks:
Armed sectarian groups have carried out violent attacks on religious gatherings and buildings, resulting in at least 16 deaths in 2023.
Victims included seven Shias, four Sikhs, three Christians, one Hindu, and one Ahmadi.
“On December 29, 2023, the Secretary of State redesignated Pakistan as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998, as amended, for having engaged in or tolerated severe violations of religious freedom and issued a waiver of the sanctions that accompany the designation in the national interest of the United States. Pakistan was first designated a CPC in 2018,” it said.
