India Rejects US Religious Freedom Commission's Remarks On Gurdwara Attacks, Calls Them 'Blatantly Political'

New Delhi: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) is a "biased" entity with a "blatantly" political agenda, New Delhi said on Tuesday, trashing remarks by two senior officials of the organisation claiming that Sikh gurdwaras have been targeted in India with vigilante attacks. Notably, this was not the first time the USCIRF levelled serious allegations against India; it makes such politically motivated statements every year.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also wondered why the USCIRF chose to remain silent on attacks on religious places in the US and on racial abuse targeting the Indian community in that country.

#WATCH | Delhi: Answering a question by ANI about a commissioner at the USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom) commenting on the 'rising targeting of religious places, including Gurudwaras, Churches and Mosques' in India, MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal says, "The USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom) is a biased and ill-informed organisation with a blatantly political agenda. It is particularly telling, and you must note that the USCIRF and its commissioners have consistently kept silent on attacks on religious places in the United States, as well as on hate crimes and racial abuse that are targeted at the Indian community in the United States. Prejudiced entities like the USCIRF can hardly be taken seriously."

— ANI (@ANI) November 10, 2026

USCIRF is a biased and ill-informed organisation: MEA

Last week, two senior officials of the USCIRF, flagging concerns over "attacks" on gurdwaras in India, urged the US government to press New Delhi to hold perpetrators of such violence accountable. "The USCIRF is a biased and ill-informed organisation with a blatantly political agenda," Jaiswal said, responding to a question on the comments by the USCIRF officials.

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"It is particularly telling that the USCIRF and its commissioners have consistently chosen to remain silent on attacks on religious places in the US and on the hate crimes and racial abuse targeted at the Indian community in the US. A prejudiced entity can hardly be taken seriously," he said.

USCIRF Commissioner David Anderson had said on social media: "Over the last several weeks, Sikh gurdwaras in India have been targeted with vigilante attacks, including attempts to harm religious leaders." Anderson said the US should link security assistance to the Indian government's response to violence that stops people from exercising freedom of religious belief (FoRB).

WATCH: Full video of MEA press briefing

Another USCIRF Commissioner, Joe Grogan, said attacks on houses of worship in India, including churches, gurdwaras, and mosques, undermine FoRB rights enshrined in international law. "The US government should continue to press the Indian government to hold perpetrators of such violence accountable & protect places of worship," Grogan said.

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In August, the USCIRF called for sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and asked Washington not to extend diplomatic courtesies to its leaders. New Delhi had stoutly rejected the remarks. The USCIRF is a bipartisan US federal government agency. It makes policy recommendations to the US President, Secretary of State, and Congress and tracks the implementation of these recommendations.

(With inputs from agencies)