On Monday, the US addressed a recent news report describing the Muslim community in India and reaffirmed its dedication to promoting universal religious freedom. The US stated its engagement with countries worldwide, including India, on this issue. “We are deeply committed to promoting and protecting universal respect for the right to freedom of religion or belief globally. We have engaged many countries, including India, on the importance of equal treatment for members of all religious communities,” said US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller during a daily press briefing.
This statement follows a New York Times report titled “Strangers in Their Own Land: Being Muslim in Modi’s India,” which alleges that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has eroded India’s secular framework and democracy since taking office. The report claims that Muslim families in India face anguish and isolation while raising their children in a country increasingly questioning their identity.
A report from the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) indicated that the Muslim population in India increased from 9.84% to 14.09% between 1950 and 2015. In the same period, the Hindu population share decreased from 84.68% to 78.06%. The report also noted increases in Christian, Sikh, and Buddhist populations, while Jain and Parsi populations decreased. The EAC-PM is an independent body advising the Government of India on economic and related issues.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the EAC-PM report, claiming that the narrative of a “minority in danger” is false. He pointed out the decrease in Hindu population and the increase in minority populations between 1950 and 2015 as evidence against this narrative.
The Ministry of External Affairs previously rejected a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, which accused the BJP of reinforcing discriminatory nationalist policies. The Ministry labeled the organization as “biased” and dismissed its report as propaganda. “The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is known as a biased organization with a political agenda. They continue to publish their propaganda on India masquerading as part of an annual report,” said Randhir Jaiswal, an MEA official spokesperson, at a press briefing.
