Indian envoy criticizes US religious freedom body over posts on jailed activists

Indian ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra criticized the US Commission on International Religious Freedom on Friday after the body made a social media post about jailed activist Sharjeel Imam. Kwatra stated that the commission has no locus standi to judge the constitutional rights of Indian citizens.

Reactions and Past Actions

Kwatra described the assessments as habitual, partisan, and ill-informed, adding that they cannot reduce India's commitment to religious freedom and equal rights. The response follows a series of posts by the US commission concerning religious freedom in India, which also mentioned jailed Dalit activist Jyoti Jagtap and Chhattisgarh Christian Forum president Arun Pannalal, who was arrested in 2026 over social media comments. Earlier this year, the commission recommended targeted sanctions against India's external intelligence agency and the RSS, while also suggesting that India be listed as a country of particular concern. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal previously rejected the commission's characterizations, pointing instead to incidents of vandalism at Hindu temples in the United States and the intimidation of the Indian diaspora.

Context

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom is an independent body created by an act of Congress in 1998, though its commissioners are appointed by the US President and congressional leaders. Its policy recommendations are not legally binding on the United States government and have not heavily influenced formal bilateral relations.