Religious freedom in India ‘significantly worsened’: US panel

Tags: National

In its 2022 annual report, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has said that the state of religious freedom in India has reached a "significantly worse" state than last year.

• It has recommended that India be designated a 'Country of Special Concern' (CPC), i.e. the category of the worst performing governments on religious freedom criteria.

• What is the USCIRF?

• It is an independent, bipartisan body created by the US International Religious Freedom Act, 1998 (IRFA). 

• It has the authority to monitor religious freedom violations globally and make policy recommendations.

• It is an entity formed by Congress and not an NGO or advocacy organisation.

• It is led by nine part-time commissioners appointed by its President. 

• Meaning of 'Country of Particular Concern’ (CPC) 

• IRFA requires the USCIRF to annually identify countries that qualify for the CPC designation.

• According to the IRFA, CPCs are countries whose governments engage in or tolerate "particularly serious violations" of religious freedom.

• Such freedom is defined as a serious violation of the internationally recognized right to freedom of religion.

• The other designation, for less serious violations, is the Special Watch List (SWL).

• Other countries who have been designated as CPCs

• For 2022, a total of 15 countries have been recommended for the CPC designation, based on religious freedom in 2021.

• They are India, Pakistan, Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Nigeria, Syria and Vietnam.