Washington, DC:
The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations (FIACONA) is greatly disappointed, to say the least that the USCIRF has chosen to keep India on Tier II of, the Countries of Particular Concern, instead of Tier I countries, in spite of the unprecedented violence against Christians and other religious minorities for the past three years under Prime Minister Modi and his partyâ€™s rule in India.

The government of India, under Prime Minister Modi, has been drastically restricting the free exercise of faith by Christians. The militia run by the parent organization of Modiâ€™s political party, The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliated organizations like Hindu Munnani, Bajrang Dal, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) are engaged in a pitched battle at the grassroots level to harass, intimidate and punish people for merely following Christ. They are engaged in vicious and naked aggression against Christians in every corner of the country.

Since 2014, when Modi formed the national government, hate crimes, social boycotts, assaults and forced conversion of Christians to Hinduism have escalated dramatically.

FIACONA is deeply disappointed at the level of insensitivity shown by the USCIRF, to the plight of over 100 million people who have chosen to practice Christianity in India.

If the level of violence experienced by Christian populations for the past three years is not sufficient to put India in Tier I, we wonder what will.

We are deeply hurt that the Commission has betrayed the memory of the victims of senseless terror in the name of Hindu nationalism perpetrated by groups affiliated with the Modi government.

Unfortunately, this report is seen as pandering to certain interest groups while going against the very idea for which the commission was created.

FIACONA respectfully rejects the conclusion of the Commission and hopes that the new Commission to be appointed will be more sensitive to the victims who suffer under the hostile government policies of Prime Minister Modi and not be political in their decision at the expense of innocent suffering people.

FIACONA is disappointed at the USCIRF REPORT