New Delhi: The US will continue to raise the issue of how Indian Muslims are treated under the Narendra Modi government as part of the bilateral dialogue between the two countries, top US diplomat Richard Verma said Monday.
His comments came shortly after the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, spoke about Muslims suffering in India — a statement the government has slammed.
Verma said: “I think when you start the conversation with an acknowledgement that we are not here to lecture, we are not here to point fingers, we are here to try to live up to those commitments we have made about inclusive, equal democratic systems… I think good friends and partners actually talk about things like this (treatment of Muslims).”
Verma, currently the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources and formerly an ambassador to India, was replying to a question on whether American diplomats are suppressing their views on the treatment of Muslims by the “Hindu-majority in India”.
At the event in Hudson Institute, he added: “Is this an important topic? 100 percent it is an important topic and we have to continue to raise and our Indian friends will continue to raise concerns of how their nationals are treated here… It is a part of our bilateral dialogue as much as any other issue.”
The US has consistently brought up the topic of freedom of religion in India, most recently in June, when Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted the alleged misuse of anti-conversion laws, demolition of homes, and increase in hate speeches against minority groups.
Blinken was speaking at the release of the report on the annual freedom of religions, prepared by the US state department. The report raised serious concerns regarding New Delhi’s ability to safeguard minority groups in the country and documented inflammatory speeches made by domestic politicians.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) termed the report “deeply biased” and driven by “vote bank considerations”. It rejected the assessment made by the US state department.
In 2023 as well, the Indian foreign ministry rubbished claims made by the previous edition of the report.
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Opposition ‘woes’, Manipur, Nijjar
The US state department, in April 2024, flagged multiple issues relating to human rights in India, including the obstacles faced by opposition parties, the government’s failure to quell the ethnic conflict in Manipur, and the allegations surrounding the killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.
The MEA, at the time, urged the media to “attach no value” to the report as it was “deeply biased and reflects a poor understanding of India”.
On Sunday, a temple in New York’s Melville was vandalised with graffiti — reminiscent of the attack on a similar temple in Canada earlier in July. Hindus in the US face some of the lowest incidents of hate crimes, but such incidents have seen an upward spike in recent years.
In 2021, a total of 12 anti-Hindu hate crimes were documented, with that number increasing to 25 in 2022, according to data published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
Incidentally, Verma’s comments came the same day when Khamenei pointed out that Muslims are suffering in India, Myanmar, and Gaza – an allegation the Indian Ministry of External Affairs has called ‘unacceptable’.
“We strongly deplore the comments made regarding minorities in India by the Supreme Leader of Iran. These are misinformed and unacceptable. Countries commenting on minorities are advised to look at their own record before making any observations about others,” said the MEA in response to Khamenei’s comments on Monday.
During the interaction at the Hudson Institute, Verma also spoke about India’s ties with Iran, terming the relationship “transactional” that lacked “shared values or connections or a deepening of cooperation” — in a manner that raised security concerns for the US.
“Obviously, the Iran challenge is serious, concerning and the role it has played in destabilising the Middle East supporting militia groups – supporting Hezbollah, supporting Hamas, supporting Iraqi militia groups… We take that threat quite seriously and we have responded to it… But I am not as concerned or troubled (about India’s ties to Iran),” Verma said.
(Edited by Tikli Basu)
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The Supreme Leader of Iran has raised this issue. While there has been a swift rejoinder, some place for reflection remains.
Both countries should treat their religious minorities well for the relationship to grow stronger. And both should raise these issues regularly. India and US should be two poles of human development with respect for human rights, democracy. Value based relationships are stronger than strategic and transactional ones.