India

Washington: Three prominent US leaders—Republican Congressman Glenn Grothman, Chairperson of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Vicki Hartzler, and Vice-Chair Dr. Asif Mahmood—have called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.

In a joint op-ed published in an American newspaper, the leaders highlighted concerns over escalating restrictions on religious freedom in India, noting that while global attention often focuses on China, the world’s largest democracy is witnessing increasingly harsh measures against citizens’ religious beliefs.

This marks the first time a South Asian, particularly a Pakistani-American Muslim, has held a leadership role in this high-profile US commission. Dr. Asif Mahmood, originally from Kharian, Pakistan, now resides in California.

The lawmakers cited that since 1928, twelve Indian states have enacted anti-conversion laws, which authorities have frequently used to unjustly detain individuals and accuse religious leaders of attempting to convert others to Christianity or Islam. These laws have sometimes been associated with religious violence and communal unrest.

They highlighted examples from Goa, where the Chief Minister sought to enforce “love jihad” laws—based on Hindu nationalist conspiracy theories alleging Muslim men marry Hindu women to convert them to Islam. Similarly, in Uttar Pradesh, a Christian pastor and his wife were falsely accused of attempting to convert Hindu neighbors under the guise of education and food programs.

The US leaders warned that religious minorities in India are increasingly targeted, with innocent citizens being harmed. In Madhya Pradesh, proposals have even suggested the death penalty for forced religious conversions.

The trio emphasized that India, which seeks strong ties with the United States, can demonstrate its commitment to shared values by repealing anti-conversion laws and upholding religious freedom.