Religious freedom panel urges sanctions against RSS ahead of chief’s US visit
Washington : A United States panel on religious freedom has expressed concern about a visit to the country by the chief of the Hindu nationalist group that is the ideological parent of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and urged sanctions on the group’s members.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is on a US visit and is scheduled to speak at a Saturday event in New York City.
“We urge the US government to consider targeted sanctions against RSS members and Indian officials complicit in religious freedom violations, including revoking the visa issued to Mohan Bhagwat,” Asif Mahmood, chair of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, said in a statement.
USCIRF is a bipartisan body of the US government that monitors religious freedom around the world and makes policy recommendations, which are not binding.
Washington has not imposed sanctions after recent recommendations.
Rights groups say the RSS promotes majoritarian ideology fueling intolerance towards minorities.
UN and human rights groups say abuse of Indian minorities has risen in recent years.
They point to rising hate speech, a religion-based citizenship law, the demolition of Muslim-owned properties, the removal of occupied Kashmir’s autonomy and an anti-conversion legislation that challenges freedom of belief.
