Press Release
WASHINGTON, DC – The Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) commended Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar for introducing a resolution condemning India’s “egregious violation of human rights and religious freedom”. Co-sponsored by lawmakers, Rashida Talib and Juan Vargas, the resolution urges the State Department to act on the recommendations of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), and designate India as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) under the International Religious Freedom Act.
In its 2022 Annual Report, USCIRF recommended India for designation as a CPC for the systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom for the third consecutive year.
The resolution, which relies heavily on USCIRF’s 2022 Annual Report and Department of State’s 2021 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom calls on the House of Representatives to condemn “human rights violations and violations of international religious freedom in India, including those targeting Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, Adivasis, and other religious and cultural minorities.”
It also calls on the House to express “grave concern about the worsening treatment of religious minorities in India.”
“It is indeed sad to see the country that we love and adore, discriminate and criminalize its most vulnerable citizens and head down the path of bigotry, intolerance and authoritarianism,” said Syed Afzal Ali, President of IAMC.
