U.s. state department, Government department

India on Sunday said that it is proud of the secular credentials that enable in uniting people belonging to diverse religions and cultures in the country.Rejecting the latest Report on International Religious Freedom published by the United States Department of State on Friday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that it sees "no locus standi for a foreign government" to pronounce on the state of its citizens' constitutionally protected rights."India is proud of its secular credentials, its status as the largest democracy and a pluralistic society with a longstanding commitment to tolerance and inclusion," MEA spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, responding to media queries on the report."The Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights to all its citizens, including its minority communities. It is widely acknowledged that India is a vibrant democracy where the Constitution provides protection of religious freedom, and where democratic governance and rule of law further promote and protect the fundamental rights," he stressed."We see no locus standi for a foreign entity to pronounce on the state of our citizens' constitutionally protected rights," Kumar added.In the report, the US State Department said that religious freedom conditions in India continued a downward trend in 2018."The constitution guarantees the right to religious freedom, and the nation's independent judiciary has often provided essential protections to religious minority communities through its jurisprudence. Yet, this history of religious freedom has come under attack in recent years with the growth of exclusionary extremist narratives--including, at times, the government's allowance and encouragement of mob violence against religious minorities--that have facilitated an egregious and ongoing campaign of violence, intimidation, and harassment against non-Hindu and lower-caste Hindu minorities," the report said."Both public and private actors have engaged in this campaign. In 2018, approximately one-third of state governments increasingly enforced anti-conversion and/or anti-cow slaughter laws discriminatorily against non-Hindus and Dalits alike. Further, cow protection mobs engaged in violence predominantly targeting Muslims and Dalits, some of whom have been legally involved in the dairy, leather, or beef trades for generations. Mob violence was also carried out against Christians under accusations of forced or induced religious conversion," it added.( With inputs from ANI )

U.s. State DepartmentFOLLOW

U.s. state department, Latest News

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan will meet US President Donald Trump on July 22. The leaders will focus on improving bilateral ties between the two countries. ...

Kim Darroch, the UK's Ambassador to the US, has the outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May's "full support", despite American President Donald Trump saying he will no longer work with him, the Downing Street has said. ...

Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said thaat India needs no "lessons" from anybody on religious freedom as this is a fundamental right granted under the Constitution. ...

Stating that religious freedom is a fundamental right granted under the Constitution of India, Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said the country needs no "lessons" on this issue. ...

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Wednesday pitched for the "defence of religious freedom for all", days after a report published by his ministry made critical remarks over the status of minorities in India. ...

US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo will arrive here on Tuesday night, as part of his three-day visit to India. This will be the first high-level engagement between India and the US after NDA's return to power for a second term. ...

India on Sunday rejected a US State Department report which made certain critical comments regarding the status of minorities in the country, saying it has "no locus standi" to "pronounce on the state of our citizens' constitutionally-protected right ...

India on Sunday said that it is proud of the secular credentials that enable in uniting people belonging to diverse religions and cultures in the country. ...