At a time when the Indo-US relations are not at their best, following certain clauses in the Nuclear Deal and the cold shouldering of Indian demands to the latter to get tough on Pakistan with regards to punishing perpetrators of the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai, here is some more bad news!

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has placed India on its “Watch List”. USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission. USCIRF Commissioners are appointed by the President and the leadership of both political parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

USCIRF’s principal responsibilities are to review the facts and circumstances of violations of religious freedom internationally and to make policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State and Congress. The USCIRF India chapter has today released notes that the deficiencies in investigating and prosecuting cases have resulted in a culture of impunity that gives members of vulnerable minority communities few assurances of their safety, particularly in areas with a history of communal violence, and little hope of perpetrator accountability.

USCIRF issues its annual report on religious freedom each May. This year’s India chapter was delayed because USCIRF had requested to visit India this summer. The Indian government, however, declined to issue USCIRF visas for the trip. Blaming India of ” largely inadequate response in protecting its religious minorities” the report goes on to recommend that the Obama Administration urge the government of India to take new measures to promote communal harmony, protect religious minorities, and prevent communal violence by calling on all political parties and religious or social organizations to publicly denounce violence against and harassment of religious minorities, women, and low-caste members, and to acknowledge that such violence constitutes a crime under Indian law.

In its statement, USCIRF said New Delhi earned the unfortunate Watch List designation due to the “disturbing increase” in communal violence against religious minorities – specifically Christians in Orissa in 2008 and Muslims in Gujarat in 2002. “It is extremely disappointing that India, which has a multitude of religious communities, has done so little to protect and bring justice to its religious minorities under siege,” said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair.

People will recall that last year in Orissa, the murder of Swami Saraswati by Maoist rebels in Kandhamal sparked a prolonged and destructive campaign targeting Christians in Orissa, resulting in attacks against churches and individuals.

These attacks largely were carried out by individuals allegedly associated with Hindu nationalist groups, and resulted in at least 40 deaths and the destruction of hundreds of homes and dozens of churches. Tens of thousands were displaced and today many still remain in refugee camps, afraid to return home.

Any country that is designated on the USCIRF “Watch List” requires “close monitoring due to the nature and extent of violations of religious freedom engaged in or tolerated by the government.” Other countries currently on the Commission’s Watch List are Afghanistan, Belarus, Cuba, Egypt, Indonesia, Laos, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Tajikistan, Turkey, and Venezuela.

The office bearers of the Indian chapter of USCIRF goes on to add that: India’s democratic institutions charged with upholding the rule of law, most notably state and central judiciaries and police, have emerged as unwilling or unable to seek redress for victims of the violence. It recommends that more must be done to ensure future violence does not occur and that perpetrators are held accountable.