USCIRF Report Sparks Controversy: VHP Alleges Bias, Defends India’s Minority Rights Record.

VHP Criticizes USCIRF Report as An Attempt to Malign Hindu Majority and BJP Govt Distorting the Actual Minoritry Status in India.

Upananda Brahmachari | HENB | New Delhi | Nov 20, 2025:: The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has released its Annual Report 2025, which has sparked a heated controversy in India. The report alleges that India’s political system facilitates a climate of discrimination toward religious minority communities, despite offering some constitutional protections for freedom of religion or belief.

VHP Slams USCIRF, Defends India’s Minority Rights

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has strongly criticized the USCIRF report, accusing the organization of bias and attempting to provide “cover fire” to terrorists. Dr. Surendra Jain, Joint General Secretary of VHP, said that USCIRF’s reports are nothing but an attempt to undermine India’s efforts to protect its minorities. He emphasized that minorities in India enjoy “unmatched” rights and freedoms, and that the country’s Constitution provides ample safeguards for their protection and empowerment.

“USCIRF is a controversial American organisation that releases reports every year, but it seems they only repeat the same allegations with a few changes in the words.”, Dr Surendra Jain said while speaking to ANI on Wednesday.

Dr. Jain stated that the organisation’s reports are nothing but an attempt to provide cover fire to terrorists and undermine India’s efforts to protect its minorities.

“Today, the entire world is plagued by terrorism, but unfortunately, organisations like these provide cover fire to terrorists… The status of minorities in India, the amount of rights they enjoy, is unmatched anywhere else in the world… They get even more rights than Hindus… There is no constitutional post here that is not held by minorities… The Ministry of Minorities and the Minority Commission have been established in India to protect the interests of minorities. Therefore, we do not need to learn from organisations like these on how to protect and empower minorities…”, Dr. Jain added.

India Rejects USCIRF’s Allegations

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also rejected USCIRF’s allegations, saying that the report contains biased and politically motivated assessments. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that USCIRF’s persistent attempts to misrepresent isolated incidents and cast aspersions on India’s vibrant multicultural society reflect a deliberate agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom.

USCIRF Report Highlights Concerns about Religious Freedom

The USCIRF report examines the relationship between Hindu nationalist groups like the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the implications of this dynamic for freedom of religion or belief. It alleges that the interconnected relationship between the RSS and BJP allows for the creation and enforcement of discriminatory laws that disproportionately target and impact religious minorities.

Motivated Agenda: Maligning Hindu Majority and BJP Govt

Critics argue that the USCIRF report is designed to malign the Hindu majority in India, including the BJP government at the center. The report’s selective focus on alleged discrimination against minorities, without acknowledging the broader context and complexities, raises questions about its objectivity and motivations. Many believe that the report is an attempt to further a particular narrative and agenda, rather than a genuine effort to promote religious freedom.

India’s Response: USCIRF Should be Designated as Entity of Concern

The MEA has has suggested earlier that USCIRF should be designated as an entity of concern, saying that the organization’s reports are motivated by a political agenda rather than a genuine concern for religious freedom. Jaiswal said that India’s pluralistic framework and harmonious coexistence of diverse communities are being undermined by USCIRF’s biased reports.

The controversy surrounding the USCIRF report highlights the complex and sensitive nature of religious freedom and minority rights in India. While the VHP and the Indian government defend the country’s record on minority rights, USCIRF’s report raises concerns about the impact of discriminatory laws and policies on religious minorities.

Read also:: A Propaganda Pamphlet To Be Used As A Toilet Paper, Christian-Supremacist USCIRF Peddles Fake Narrative On India Targeting Hindus (Courtesy: The Commune)

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_Inputs from ANI.