No locus standi: India rejects US global religious freedom report

NEW DELHI, Jun 23, 2019, India Today. MEA official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion. The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens, including its minority communities,” reported the India Today.

inistry of External Affairs (MEA) official spokesperson has slammed the US state department’s 2018 International Religious Freedom report that alleged that some senior leaders of the BJP made inflammatory speeches against minority communities.

The report covers government policies violating religious belief and practices of groups, religious denominations and individuals, and US policies to promote religious freedom around the world.

MEA official Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion. The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens, including its minority communities.”

He further added that it is widely acknowledged that India is a vibrant democracy where the Constitution provides protection of religious freedom, and where democratic governance and rule of law further promote and protect the fundamental rights.”

“We see no locus standi for a ‘foreign entity/government’ to pronounce on the state of our citizens’ constitutionally protected rights,” he said.

BJP media head and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Baluni also slammed the report and called it bias.

He said, the US state department’s 2018 International Religious Freedom report shows clear bias against the Narendra Modi government and the BJ.
It asserted that its leaders had strongly deplored violence against minorities and weaker sections of society.

The report, released on June 21, alleged that some senior leaders of the BJP “made inflammatory speeches against minority communities.”