There is a sudden furore in India over the objectionable Annual Report (2024) released by US Commission on International Religious Freedom(USCIRF) and a Washington Post report that leveled unsubstantiated allegations against India.
The CIRF report has classified India as CPC (Country of Particular Concern) on account of alleged severe violations of religious freedom of its citizens. Another Washington Post Report has attributed India of charges of attempting an assassination plot of Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannu on American soil.
These two reports have been brushed aside by India as baseless. Russia has also expressed concern over these reports. Director of Department of Press & Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Maria Zakarova has rebuked USA over these reports by dubbing it as an attempt to destabilize India in the wake of general elections. USA seems to be acting like a self-acclaimed prophet of human rights sermonizing India on its secular credentials.
Does USA need to be reminded of how it tramples the human rights of its African-American black citizen’s day in and day out on its soil? Has USA forgotten how its black citizen George Floyd was strangulated to death by its White police officer by knelling over his neck for eight minutes in broad daylight?
A sinner seems to be sermonizing a saint about human rights through these frivolous reports. Atleast India doesn’t enjoy notoriety to invade and attempt at occupying oil fields of other countries in the guise of fighting terrorism. India is the only country on planet earth that has never invaded any other country as an imperialist.
Apparently, US President Joe Biden has also tagged India as xenophobic along with Japan, Russia and China . USA has alleged that India doesn’t welcome immigrants and frowns upon them. Well, unlike Biden who allegedly aggrandizes
his vote bank by transforming immigrants into US citizens, India believes in welcoming immigrants who are hapless victims and persecuted religious minorities of exploitative regimes. MEA Minister, S. Jaishankar has also stated that India always have a welcoming mode for immigrants.
USA claims that India hatched an assassination plot of Khalistani separatist leader Gurpatwant Pannun on American soil. These allegations are however not substantiated through any coherent evidences so far.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal has already dismissed these allegations as unsubstantiated & unwarranted conclusions. India has shown its readiness to extend full cooperation in investigation of this alleged assassination plot.
USA is setting sights to malign the image of Indian intelligence without least corroboration. Unlike other intelligence agencies that are ill-famous with allegations of hatching coups in countries that are hostile to their interests, intelligence is lauded only for its motto of ‘Dharmo Rakshati Rakshita’ i.e. ‘the law protects when it is protected.’
Journalist Chahal has already confirmed in July 2023 that Pannun is alive and well. There is no point thus to mudsling India alleging his assassination plot.
The timing of these two unsubstantiated reports that are released right during the Indian general elections cast’s aspersions over America’s bonafide motive. It seems that these two reports are driven by political agenda as USA is set to face presidential elections in November 2024.
Biden seems busy garnering political leverage through these reports. Instead of involving in such mud-slinging, USA and India can work in collaboration to curb the secessionist and terrorist tendencies breeding on their soils. RAW and CIA can together help the world secure international peace through intelligence sharing and joint investigations of international organized crime.
These objectionable reports are mere opportunistic political stunts of USA. A resilient and vibrant Indian democracy is hardly deterred by such baseless reports.
India is strong enough to curb any secessionist movement breeding on its soil and Khalistani movement is no exception. USA needs to set its own house in order
first instead of channelizing her time & energy on such infructuous exercises.
(Writer is Public Speaker, Poet, National level debater & orator)
