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The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday hit back at the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) over its latest remarks targeting the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling the US body "biased" and saying it lacks credibility.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, during a media briefing, said that the commission has repeatedly made incorrect and provocative statements about India and that such statements should be ignored. "We all know this is a biased institution. For years, it has made incorrect and provocative statements about India. We should ignore such institutions, as they have their own agendas and lack credibility," Jaiswal said during the briefing. The MEA's remarks came after USCIRF officials called for sanctions against the RSS and urged the US government not to extend high-level diplomatic courtesies or hold meetings with its leaders. The comments come ahead of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's scheduled visit to the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom from August 25. Bhagwat is expected to undertake the visit at the invitation of local associations and organisations associated with the Indian diaspora. The visit coincides with the RSS's centenary year, during which Bhagwat is expected to interact with members of the Indian diaspora and representatives of local organisations. RSS Prachar Pramukh Sunil Ambekar, in a post on X, said Bhagwat will visit the US, Canada and the UK from August 25 at the invitation of overseas local associations and organisations. "Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's (RSS) Sarsanghachalak (Chief) Dr Mohan Bhagwat will be visiting the USA, Canada and the UK from 25th Aug 2026 on the invitation from overseas local associations and organisations. This coincides with the occasion of the ongoing Centenary year of RSS," the post read. The latest remarks follow USCIRF's annual report released in March, in which the commission criticised India over alleged religious freedom violations and backed targeted sanctions against individuals and entities, including the RSS and the Research and Analysis Wing. India had strongly rejected the report, describing it as a "distorted and selective" portrayal of the country based on what it called "questionable sources and ideological narratives". In a statement issued on March 16, Jaiswal had criticised the commission for its "selective criticism" of India and urged it to examine what he described as incidents of vandalism and attacks on Hindu temples in the US, along with intolerance and intimidation faced by members of the Indian diaspora. (ANI)
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