USCIRF seeks sanctions against RSS, no high-level meetings with its leaders

Officers of a U.S. advisory physique on spiritual freedom have known as for sanctions in opposition to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and requested the American authorities to not lengthen diplomatic courtesies to its leaders or have high-level conferences with them.

The U.S. Fee on Worldwide Spiritual Freedom (USCIRF) chair Asif Mahmood stated Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a member of the RSS, which he described as an umbrella organisation whose sub-groups have perpetrated assaults on spiritual minorities.

Mr. Mahmood’s remarks got here weeks forward of RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat’s go to to the U.S. to take part within the ‘Common Oneness Celebrations’ organised by the American Hindus for Engagement and Dialogue (AHEAD) in New York on August 29.

USCIRF Commissioner Gene Mills stated RSS leaders, even when affiliated with the Indian authorities, shouldn’t be honoured with high-level conferences or diplomatic courtesies.

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“As a substitute, the USG (U.S. Authorities) ought to concentrate on imposing sanctions on RSS members discovered accountable for FoRB (freedom of spiritual perception) violations,” Mr. Mills stated.

USCIRF posted the remarks by Mr. Mahmood and Mr. Mills on its X account.

“India’s PM Modi is a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), an Indian umbrella organisation whose sub-groups have perpetrated assaults on spiritual minorities, incl. Christians & Muslims. Now the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, plans to go to the U.S.,” Mr. Mahmood stated.

Advocacy group Hindus for Human Rights stated Mr. Bhagwat’s go to can’t be separated from the RSS community’s violence in opposition to Muslims and Christians.

“A celebration of “oneness” can’t conceal the politics of spiritual supremacy,” the advocacy group stated in a submit on X.

In March, the USCIRF annual report criticised India for alleged violations of spiritual freedom and backed “focused sanctions” on people and entities such because the RSS and Analysis and Evaluation Wing, holding them accountable for the matter.

India rejected the USCIRF report, saying that the organisation has persistently offered a “distorted and selective” image of the nation that depends on “questionable sources and ideological narratives”.

Exterior Affairs Ministry spokesman Randhir Jaiswal, in an announcement on March 16, stated that as a substitute of persisting with “selective criticism” of India, the USCIRF ought to mirror on “disturbing incidents of vandalism and assaults on Hindu temples within the U.S., selective focusing on of India, and rising intolerance and intimidation of members of the Indian diaspora within the US, which benefit severe consideration”.