Religious discrimination in India, the world’s largest democracy, has reached a “frightening” stage, and a few consultants warn that the nation should change its course or face focused sanctions from the U.S. authorities.

“India has done better in the past and has to change course because the cycle of downward spiral in a country of that importance and the number of people who are involved. It is quite frightening,” Rabbi Abraham Cooper, chair of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, or USCIRF, informed lawmakers on Tuesday.

“Religious discrimination should not be a matter of national pride,” he mentioned.

The USCIRF has really useful that India, together with Afghanistan, Syria, Nigeria and Vietnam, be added to the U.S. authorities’s listing of Countries of Particular Concern, or CPC, due to the worsening limits on non secular freedom in these international locations.

It additionally has known as for focused financial and journey sanctions in opposition to Indian authorities companies and officers which are allegedly concerned in violation of spiritual freedom.

The scathing criticism comes solely weeks after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the White House and addressed a joint session of Congress.

In 2005, the U.S. State Department revoked Modi’s vacationer/enterprise visa due to his alleged position in non secular and communal violence within the Indian Gujarat state in 2002.

“So, we’re hoping that now that the trip has taken place and the victory lap has been earned and taken, there will be a serious review,” Cooper mentioned.

Human rights teams have accused Modi’s authorities of fostering discriminatory non secular nationalism focusing on Muslim, Christian and Sikh non secular minorities.

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Amid recurrent incidents of religiously impressed violence, 12 out of 28 states in India have handed laws criminalizing non secular conversion.

Under overview

Known for his disdain for information conferences, Modi nonetheless appeared at a joint information convention with President Joe Biden on the White House on June 22 the place he was requested about discrimination in opposition to non secular minorities by his authorities.

“I’m actually really surprised that people say so,” Modi responded, including that India is ruled underneath a constitutional democratic order.

“There’s absolutely no space for discrimination,” he emphasised.

SEE ALSO: White House, Reporters Condemn Harassment of Journalist Over Questions to Indian PM

Last 12 months, the U.S. authorities didn’t listing India as a rustic of explicit concern regardless of a USCIRF suggestion to take action.

“We are beginning our process for determining [CPC] designations this year,” Rashad Hussain, ambassador-at-large for worldwide non secular freedom on the U.S. State Department, informed the congressional listening to on Tuesday.

Hussain didn’t particularly say whether or not India could be designated a CPC this 12 months.

The United States and India, each contemplating China as a strategic problem, have expanded bilateral financial, navy and political relations. With $120 billion in commerce in 2022, the United States has turn out to be India’s largest buying and selling companion.

Global considerations

U.S. lawmakers categorical considerations in regards to the worsening state of spiritual freedom worldwide, starting from China to Nicaragua.

“Today, I am more concerned than ever about the further deterioration of religious freedom,” mentioned Representative Christopher Smith, mentioning that about half of the world’s inhabitants is unable to apply religion freely.

Some lawmakers accused China of committing “genocide” in opposition to non secular minorities, significantly the Uyghur Muslims — allegations the Chinese authorities has repeatedly denied.

While lawmakers known as on the State Department to carry the perpetrator regimes accountable, consultants mentioned the U.S. ought to undertake a holistic strategy and keep away from worsening the plight of susceptible non secular communities in several elements of the world.

“It’s critical [for] the U.S. to support vulnerable communities … Uyghurs in China, atheists in Pakistan and Baháʼís in Iran,” mentioned Susan Hayward, affiliate director of faith and public life at Harvard Divinity School.

“U.S. advocacy for religious freedom must be conflict-sensitive, so as not to render already vulnerable communities more vulnerable nor exacerbate religious dimensions of conflict,” Hayward mentioned.