United States Commission On International Religious Freedom - Criticism and Controversy - India

India

USCIRF has placed India on CPC and watch list in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2010 primarily because of communal riots between Hindus and Muslims in Gujarat and Mumbai, Kandha-Tribals and Panna-Christians in Orissa, and Anti-Sikh riots in Delhi. However, USCIRF report's description of events are a major source of controversy and criticism.

For instance, Anti-Sikh riot, which is the largest of all communal riots described by USCIRF, happened in 1984. USCIRF 2001 report blames "Sangh Parivar propaganda" (sic) for violence against Sikhs. On the other hand, Late President of India Giani Zail Singh, who was a Sikh and leader of rival Indian National Congress party, praised Sangh Parivar for saving hundreds of Sikh lives, and for playing a crucial role in restoring peace during 1984 riots. Sangh Parivar’s role was positively noted in Judicial Inquiry report submitted by retired Supreme Court judge Justice Nanavati.

USICRF report drew criticism from the Indian press. The Pioneer, in an editorial termed it as “fiction", "biased”, and “Surpassing Goebbels”. It criticized USCIRF for projecting the massacre of 58 Hindu passengers as an accident. It also accused USCIRF of indirectly justifying murder of Swami Lakshamananda Saraswati, a Hindu cleric.

An India Currents article termed USCIRF as “severely biased”, “an extension of a fringe evangelistic crowd”, “interested only in the Christian right” and “maintaining silence on non-Christian right”.

Christian leaders in Orissa defended India: Archbishop Raphael Cheenath stated that India remained of a secular character, the president of the Orissa Minority Forum that, despite a small hate campaign against minorities, the majority of society had been "cordial and supportive", and the Orissa Secular Front that, despite the 2002 and 2008 riots, India had a strong secular foundation.

A Hindu Advocacy group based in the USA, the Hindu American Foundation, characterized the report as biased, anti-Hindu, motivated by the political wishes, and religious bigotries of the commission's members rather than a genuine desire for monitoring the state of religious freedom in the world. HAF's press release criticized USCIRF report for telling half truths, omitting attacks on Hindus. More-over, it pointed out that India is a country whose last president was Muslim, whose leader of the largest political party is Christian, and whose Prime Minister is Sikh. On March 10, 2011, HAF delivered testimony to the USCIRF detailing their criticisms of the USCIRF's position regarding India.