Former Indian Officials Unite to Condemn USCIRF Report on Religious Freedom
In a powerful collective statement, 275 former judges, retired civil servants, and ex-Armed Forces officers have vehemently condemned the recent report by the United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which recommended designating India as a "country of particular concern." The group, which includes notable figures such as former Supreme Court Justices Adarsh Kumar Goel and Hemant Gupta, described the report as "a very disturbing and completely off-the-mark" document.
Government and Officials Reject USCIRF Findings
The Ministry of External Affairs has already dismissed the USCIRF report, labeling it "motivated and biased." This stance is now reinforced by the former officials, who have raised serious questions about the credibility of the USCIRF commissioners and the methodology behind the report. The signatories argue that the report lacks proper macro-level evidence and relies on selective narratives rather than objective analysis.
The USCIRF report had specifically called for targeted sanctions on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)—the ideological parent of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party—and India's external intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW), accusing them of involvement in religious freedom violations. The former officials criticized this recommendation as "highly motivated" and indicative of "intellectual bankruptcy and deranged conclusions."
Demographic Data Presented as Counter-Evidence
To challenge the USCIRF's assertions, the group highlighted long-term demographic trends in India and the broader subcontinent. They pointed out that:
- The Muslim population in India has increased from 9.8% in 1951 to 14.2% in 2011.
- The populations of Christians and Sikhs have remained stable at 2.3% and 1.7%, respectively, since 1951.
- In contrast, the Hindu population in undivided Pakistan has declined sharply from 20-22% to 1.5-2% in Pakistan and 7-8% in Bangladesh.
"Such longitudinal evidence is critical and suggests that the overall ecosystem in India has not produced the kind of sustained demographic contraction among minorities that would ordinarily indicate systemic persecution or institutionalized exclusion," the statement emphasized. They urged the USCIRF to examine these trends with a more objective and longitudinal approach to religious freedom assessment.
Defense of Indian Institutions and RSS
The former officials defended Indian state institutions and socio-cultural organizations like the RSS, arguing that the report unfairly portrays them in a negative light without verifiable evidence. They noted that India, as the world's largest democracy, has a robust judicial system, vibrant democratic institutions, and parliamentary oversight, which they claim leaves little room for violations of religious rights to go unpunished.
"The RSS, with its extensive grassroots presence and contributions to social service and nation-building, may well be subject to critique, but such critique must be grounded in verifiable evidence and contextual understanding, not only on broad generalizations," they stated. They also highlighted the RSS's century-long history of service in areas such as rural empowerment, women's progress, healthcare, and education.
Call for Scrutiny of USCIRF Commissioners
Noting that all six USCIRF commissioners are appointed by the U.S. government and funded by American taxpayers, the signatories called for a strict background check of all contributors to the report. They expressed concern that taxpayer funds are being used to produce "highly prejudiced and untenable reports" that may promote a hidden agenda against India, potentially damaging goodwill between the two nations.
"Religious freedom is both necessary and appreciated in a globalized world, but it must be exercised with intellectual rigor, fairness, and respect for all," the statement concluded. "Reports based on selective use of evidence risk reducing their own credibility and undermine the genuine cause of religious harmony and human rights."
