WASHINGTON – Religious freedom activists and several other groups in the UShave asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take all necessary measures tocurb the rise of Hindutva extremism and punish groups involved in violenceagainst religious minorities in the country.
The request was made during a briefing titled ‘Religious Freedom in India:A Briefing on Capitol Hill’, organised by the Indian-American MuslimCouncil, at the US Capitol on Thursday which was attended by activists,Congressional staffs, State Department officials, the US Commission onInternational Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and civil society members.
“The failure of Prime Minister Modi to definitively condemn and todefinitively distance himself from the extreme elements of his party hasplayed a substantial and significant role in bringing about the situationthat we see today,” said Katrina Lantos Swett, former Chair of the USCommission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF).
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India maintains that its Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to allits citizens including the right to freedom of religion and the USCIRF hasno locus standi to pass its comment on Indian citizens’ constitutionallyprotected rights.
