The US has addressed a recent report about the Muslim community in India, reaffirming its commitment to promoting religious freedom globally. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated, “We are deeply committed to promoting and protecting universal respect for the right to freedom of religion or belief for all around the world. We have engaged many countries, including India, on the importance of equal treatment for members of all religious communities.”
This statement follows The New York Times report titled “Strangers in Their Own Land: Being Muslim in Modi’s India,” which alleges that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has undermined India’s secular framework, leading to feelings of anguish and isolation among Muslim families.
A report by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) highlighted demographic changes, noting that the Muslim population in India increased from 9.84% in 1950 to 14.09% in 2015, while the Hindu population decreased from 84.68% to 78.06% over the same period. Prime Minister Modi referenced this report, arguing that the narrative of minorities being endangered in India is false and has been disproven by demographic data.
The Ministry of External Affairs previously rejected criticisms from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, labeling the organization as biased and politically motivated. The Ministry emphasized India’s diverse and democratic ethos, countering claims of discrimination by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
(Extract from https://theprint.in/world/deeply-committed-to-promoting-universal-respect-for-freedom-of-religion-us-on-report-describing-muslims-in-india/2094122/)
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