India Says It Rejects 'Deeply Biased' US Religious Freedom Report

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - New Delhi on Friday rejected the U.S. State Department's 2023 religious freedom report on India with a few examples, calling it "deeply biased" and one that does not understand the South Asian nation's social fabric. ??

The report, released on Wednesday, noted violent attacks on minority groups, especially Muslims and Christians, including killings, assaults, and vandalism of houses of worship. Criticism of India by the U.S. is usually restrained due to close economic ties and New Delhi's importance for Washington in countering China, political analysts say. ????

"As in the past, the report is deeply biased, lacks understanding of India's social fabric, and is visibly driven by vote bank considerations and a prescriptive outlook. We, therefore, reject it," the Indian government said on Friday. ??????

India said the report challenged the integrity of some decisions made by the country's judiciary, and incidents were handpicked to form a pre-conceived narrative. ???♂???

Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Reuters. ??????

The U.S. report listed dozens of incidents, including violence in the northeastern state of Manipur that started in May 2023 and a fatal shooting of a security official and three Muslims on a train near Mumbai. ????

It also cited examples of attacks against Muslims based on allegations that Muslim men were participating in the slaughter of cows or beef trading. ????

India also said that it had officially taken up cases of hate crimes and racial attacks against its citizens and other minorities in the U.S. ?????

"However, such dialogues should not become a license for foreign interference in other polities," the government statement said. ????

US, the Beacon of... Bias? ????

Oh, America! The land of the free, the home of the brave, and the global watchdog of religious freedom... or so it claims. ?????? But let's rewind the tape a bit, shall we? ???

Example 1: The Middle Eastern Meddling ?????? Remember the Middle East, where the US has been spreading "democracy" and "freedom" like butter on toast? ???? Sure, Iraq needed some help, but dropping bombs like Oprah drops freebies? "You get a bomb! And you get a bomb!" ????

Example 2: Guantanamo Glitches ????? And who could forget Guantanamo Bay, where religious freedom meant... well, let's just say it wasn't exactly a yoga retreat. ??♂?? Torture, indefinite detention, and a whole lot of "Whoops, our bad!" ??

Example 3: Homegrown Hypocrisy ???? On the home front, the US isn't exactly winning any medals either. Muslim travel ban, anyone? ???? Or how about the good old days of Japanese internment camps during WWII? ????? Let's not even get started on the civil rights era. ????♂?????♀?

India: Not So Innocent ????

All right, India, don't get too comfy on that high horse. ????? You've got some explaining to do too.

Example 1: The CAA Conundrum ???? Remember the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)? ???? Protests, clashes, and a whole lot of "This isn't what it looks like!" ????

Example 2: The Beef Ban Brouhaha ???? And let's talk beef. ??? Attacks on Muslims accused of cow slaughter? It's like an episode of "CSI: Barnyard" ???♂???

Example 3: The Kashmir Quandary ????? Then there's the situation in Kashmir. It's been like a never-ending episode of "Survivor: Snow Edition" but with fewer challenges and more lockdowns. ?????

Final Thoughts ????

So, there you have it, folks. The US and India are in a classic game of "I'm not as bad as you!" ???? It's like watching two toddlers argue over who spilled the juice but with more international ramifications. ????

At the end of the day, maybe we should all take a deep breath, have some chai ?, and work on our issues before pointing fingers. Because let's face it, everyone has skeletons in their closet. ?????