New Delhi, November 14, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India on Saturday criticised the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) over its post describing jailed student activist Sharjeel Imam as being detained for his “religious freedom advocacy”, saying the organisation had no business commenting on the country’s internal affairs.
India’s Ambassador to the United States, Vinay Mohan Kwatra, described the commission’s assessment as “habitual partisan, ill-informed, and jaundiced”.
In a post on X, Kwatra said: “USCIRF has no locus standi to sit in judgment over the constitutional rights of Indian citizens. It’s habitual partisan, ill-informed, and jaundiced assessments cannot diminish India’s constitutional commitment to religious freedom and equal rights for all faiths.”
He said India continued to flourish despite what he described as the USCIRF’s “agenda-driven partisan narratives”.
“Taking the same liberty that USCIRF so readily assumes, a word of advice: introspect on your own prejudices and stop lecturing others,” he added.
All India Imam Association President Maulana Sajid Rashidi also criticised the commission’s intervention, saying it had no business commenting on India’s internal matters.
Speaking to IANS, Rashidi said: “Who are you to meddle in our affairs? This is our domestic matter, an internal affair. We will sort it out ourselves.”
He also rejected the characterisation of Sharjeel Imam as an advocate for religion, saying Imam had his own way of thinking and was facing legal action over certain remarks.
BJP national spokesperson R P Singh said no foreign entity should interfere in India’s internal affairs. He noted that Imam’s case was pending before the court and that the judiciary would decide the matter.
Earlier this week, India had also described USCIRF as a “biased and ill-informed organisation” with a “blatantly political agenda”. It accused the commission of remaining silent on attacks on religious places and hate crimes targeting the Indian community in the US.
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