Tripti Nath/New Delhi

India has taken exception to ill-informed comments made by senior U.S. officials in the context of the 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom. 

“We have noted the release of the U.S. State Department 2021 Report on International Religious Freedom and ill-informed comments by senior U.S. officials. It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practiced in international relations. We would urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided,’’ stated Arindam Bagchi, Official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs, on Friday evening.  

Replying to media queries, Bagchi asserted, “As a naturally pluralistic society, India values religious freedom and human rights.’’ 

Holding a mirror to the United States, the MEA Spokesperson stopped short of asking it to set its own house in order. “ In our discussions with the US, we have regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes, and gun violence,’’ he said. 

While releasing the report in Washington D.C. on June 2, the U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony J. Blinken said, “In India, the world’s largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, we’ve seen rising attacks on people and places of worship. The United States will continue to stand up for religious freedom around the world.’’ 

In his opening remarks at the release of the report by the State Department, Secretary Blinken said that the report offers a thorough, fact-finding review of the state of religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories around the world. Since 1998, the document is produced annually and offers what Secretary Blinken described as “ a thorough, fact-based review of the state of religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories around the world. “

He went on to say that respect for religious freedom isn’t only one of the deepest held values and a fundamental right. “It’s also, from my perspective, a vital foreign policy priority.’’ 

Secretary Blinken said, “Unfortunately, the report also shows that we have more work to do. In many parts of the world, governments are failing to respect their citizens’ basic rights." 

Echoing his views, Rashid Hussain, Ambassador At Large for International Religious Freedom, said, “In India, some officials are ignoring or even supporting rising attacks on people and places of worship.’’ 

Blinken said that in 1998 the Office of International Religious Freedom, which leads the annual process of drafting the report, was the only government entity in the world charged with monitoring and defending international religious freedom. “ Now, more than two decades later, we have more than 35 governments and multilateral organizations that have created offices that are dedicated to this goal.’’

Hussain said that religious freedom is a critical part of the American story. He said that they have transmitted the 2000-page report on International Religious Freedom to Congress.