The Indian government has dismissed the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as a biased organization following its recent call for sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the commission lacks credibility and consistently makes inflammatory remarks regarding India's pluralistic framework.
The USCIRF, led by chair Asif Mahmood, urged the US government to impose sanctions on the RSS and deny diplomatic courtesies to its leaders ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's scheduled visit to New York on August 29. The commission alleged that the organization and its sub-groups are responsible for attacks on religious minorities, a claim previously echoed in its March annual report.
In response, the US-based advocacy group HinduPACT condemned the commission's stance, accusing its leadership of promoting an anti-Hindu narrative. The Indian government maintains that the USCIRF operates with its own agenda and fails to acknowledge the harmonious coexistence of diverse communities within the country.
