USCIRF reports biased: MEA in Rajya Sabha

NEW DELHI: The minister of state for external affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh told the Rajya Sabha on Thursday that the government is aware of reports issued from time to time by various foreign entities, including in the US, about the situation of human rights in India. Such reports are often found to be subjective, misinformed and biased in nature, he said.

The minister said that the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is an organisation with a political agenda and the government attaches no credibility to its reports, which misrepresent facts and peddle a motivated narrative about India.

He said India is a vibrant democracy with its Constitution guaranteeing fundamental rights of citizens, and a robust judiciary and free media ensuring the exercise of these rights. This is the first time that the ministry has spoken about USCIRF in Parliament. USCIRF, in its annual report, suggested that India be designated a 'country of particular concern' due to "violations of religious freedom".