India dismisses US report on alleged human rights abuse as “Poor Understanding

India has reacted to a report by stating that it does not value it. The report, released by the State Department annually and mandated by the US Congress, was criticized by India for being biased and reflecting a poor understanding of the country. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s condemnation of an incident was also noted in the report, with a call for action on the case. The report also mentioned a 60-hour search of the BBC’s offices in Delhi and Mumbai, following the release of a documentary on PM Modi by the broadcaster.

The tax authorities described the search as motivated by irregularities in the BBC’s tax payments and ownership structure, but officials also seized equipment from journalists not involved in the organization’s financial processes. Additionally, the report highlighted the conviction and sentencing of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a case related to defaming the Modi surname, which led to his disqualification from the Lok Sabha. However, Mr. Gandhi was later reinstated after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction. On a positive note, the report acknowledged that the government permitted a march in Srinagar, allowing Shias to mark Muharram, representing the first government-sanctioned recognition of the event in Srinagar since it was banned in 1989.

The government imposed some restrictions on the use of slogans or the display of logos of any banned organizations.