WASHINGTON: Eight US Senators and 34 lawmakers wrote a letter to PM Modi over increasing extremism and violence against religious minorities in India.
They expressed deep concerns over increasing intolerance and violence and urged PM Modi to take immediate steps to protect religious minorities.
Lawmakers said “Our strong support of this partnership (India-US partnership) encourages us to share our grave concerns about the increasing intolerance and violence against members of India’s religious minorities.”
“We urge your government to take immediate steps to ensure that the fundamental rights of religious minorities are protected and that the perpetrators of violence are held accountable.”
They claimed that country wide beef ban has increased violence against Muslims in which Mohammad Hashmat Ali was killed in Manipur and Mohammad Saif in Uttar Pradesh.
Non-Hindu propaganda, prayers and speeches were banned and practice of Christianity was criminalized in government’s statement of June 2014.
The Lawmakers urged PM Modi to ensure complete freedom of faith and not allow any religious group to incite hatred against others.
Lawmakers condemned the ban on non-Hindu faiths in the Bastar District of Chhattisgarh and the violent attacks and harassing the religious minorities throughout India.