The resolution condemns human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar has introduced a resolution in the House of Representatives, condemning violations of human rights and religious freedom in India and calling on the Secretary of State Antony Blinken to designate India as a “country of particular concern.”
The resolution was submitted on June 21, 2022.
The resolution by Somali-American congresswoman was co-sponsored by lawmakers Rashida Talib and Juan Vargas, according to the US Congress website.
The resolution condemns human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India, including those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis, and other religious and cultural minorities.
It based its arguments to declare India as a country of particular concern on the conclusions and findings of a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
The resolution highlighted that the USCIRF has called for designating India as a country of particular concern for 3 consecutive years.
The USCIRF’s 2022 annual report stated that “the Indian government escalated its promotion and enforcement of policies — including those promoting a Hindu-nationalist agenda — that negatively affect Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and other religious minorities”.
The report added that the Indian “government continued to systemize its ideological vision of a Hindu state at both the national and state levels through the use of both existing and new laws and structural changes hostile to the country’s religious minorities”.
The USCIRF report also emphasized that “In 2021, numerous attacks were made on religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, and their neighborhoods, businesses, homes, and houses of worship. Many of these incidents were violent, unprovoked, and/or encouraged or incited by government officials.”.
The resolution calls on the Secretary of State to designate India as a country of particular concern under the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 and the Frank R. Wolf International Religious Freedom Act of 2016.