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A Democratic legislator has raised concerns about India’s potential turn toward Hindu nationalism after the United States failed to include it on a list of countries that abuse religious freedoms.
Outgoing Democratic Congressman Andy Levin warned that India was in danger of turning into a Hindu nationalist state rather than a secular democracy in his farewell speech earlier this week.
All Indian citizens’ rights, including those of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jews, according to Mr. Levin, must be upheld.
The India of Narendra Modi today is not the India I fell in love with, according to Mr. Levin, who served as vice chair of the subcommittee on Asia.
“What is happening in Kashmir merits the attention of the entire world. Kashmir is a perfect illustration of how Mr. Modi is leading India in the wrong path in terms of human rights and democracy, even though it may not be on the nightly news, he added in a previous remark.
The India of Narendra Modi today is not the India I fell in love with, according to Mr. Levin, who served as vice chair of the subcommittee on Asia.
He explained, “I am so passionate about my support for the lively democracy I came to know as a young man that I want to see that democracy flourish for decades to come. That is why I am so critical and so publicly critical of a country that I adore.
The Department of State’s recent designations of “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPCs) under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) were criticized by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) earlier this month for ignoring India’s particularly egregious violations of religious freedom.
At least 21 nations asked India to strengthen its defense of religious freedom and the rights of religious minorities last month.
Six international human rights organizations also reminded New Delhi in a joint statement that the recommendations from a recent UN report on India still need to be put into action.
The suggestions address a number of important issues, such as addressing gender-based violence, defending civil society freedoms, safeguarding human rights advocates, and putting an end to torture in detention.
—Agencies