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WASHINGTON: A US Congressional
panel's hearing on religious freedom in
India came under fire from some of its
own members on Friday. They called it
an attempt to influence elections in
India, even as Hindu activists in the US
said the partisan event was aimed at
undermining the BJP's prime
ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
The hearing by the Tom Lantos Human
Rights Commission (TLHRC), named
after a late Congressman whose
holocaust survival resulted in a lifelong
devotion to human rights, was
deliberately timed to impact the
election, US lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, a
self-described Hindu-American, told the
panel, after a Hindu activist group
complained the panel had packed the
hearing with witnesses who have an
''ulterior motive.''
"I do not believe the timing of this
hearing is a coincidence. The national
elections in India begin on Monday and
continue until May 12. I am concerned
that the goal of this hearing is to
influence the outcome of India's
national elections, which is not an
appropriate role for the US Congress.
Such interference with India's elections
would undermine our shared goals,''
Gabbard, a Democrat from US President
Obama's home state of Hawaii, told the
panel.
"We need to be especially careful not to
directly or indirectly contribute to
sectarian strife in India or other
countries. I am concerned that this
hearing is an attempt to foment fear
and loathing purely for political
purposes. This is wrong and it will
contribute to further sectarian division
in India and will undermine national
interests of the US," Gabbard added, in
withering criticism of the hearing.
"Any attempt by the United States to
have an effect on the Indian elections
will backfire,'' Gabbard's senior
colleague Brad Sherman cautioned
while questioning panelists.
Leaders of the Hindu American
Foundation (HAF) echoed similar
concerns, noting the ''unbalanced''
panel of four witnesses, all of whom
expressed concern over the prospective
election of the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) candidate, Narendra Modi, as
Prime Minister. A witness that would
have offered a Hindu perspective to
ground realities and the multi-
dimensional nature of inter-religious
tensions in India was not included,
despite requests by some members of
the TLHRC, the foundation said.
Witnesses who testified before the
committee included Katrina Lantos
Swett, Vice Chair, United States
Commission on International Religious
Freedom, John Sifton, Asia Advocacy
Director, Human Rights Watch, Robin
Phillips, Executive Director, The
Advocates for Human Rights, John
Dayal, Member, National Integration
Council, Government of India. Swett has
been a leading advocate of continuing
the US denial of visa for Gujarat chief
minister Narendra Modi.
HAF activists said they had reached out
to the office of Congressman Keith
Ellison, who is the first Muslim to be
elected to the US Congress and is co-
chair of the TLHRC, asking to add their
witness ''to provide additional
perspective on religious freedom in
India.'' But they were told that only
human rights groups were slated to be
on the panel, and not specific to any
religion. HAF pointed out though that
panelist John Dayal serves as the
Secretary General of the All India
Christian Council in addition to being
an activist, and said, ''the rejection
seems disingenuous at best, and
indicative of the ulterior motives of the
hearing sponsors at worst.''
"While the promotion of international
religious freedom should be a US policy
priority, the testimony made it clear
that the witnesses today simply had an
axe to grind with the BJP's prime
ministerial candidate,'' said Jay
Kansara, HAF's Associate Director of
Governmental Relations.
The panel's leading witness made no
secret of her concern over a Modi-led
BJP-alliance coming to power. ''Many
religious minority communities fear
religious freedom will be jeopardized if
the BJP wins and the Gujarat chief
minister Narendra Modi becomes Prime
Minister. We hope that is not the case,''
USCIRF's Katrina Swett said,
recommending that the State
Department elevate religious freedom
concerns in the bilateral strategic
dialogue mechanism.
US rights panel under fire for 'influencing' Indian election - TOI Mobile | The Times of India Mobile Site
panel's hearing on religious freedom in
India came under fire from some of its
own members on Friday. They called it
an attempt to influence elections in
India, even as Hindu activists in the US
said the partisan event was aimed at
undermining the BJP's prime
ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.
The hearing by the Tom Lantos Human
Rights Commission (TLHRC), named
after a late Congressman whose
holocaust survival resulted in a lifelong
devotion to human rights, was
deliberately timed to impact the
election, US lawmaker Tulsi Gabbard, a
self-described Hindu-American, told the
panel, after a Hindu activist group
complained the panel had packed the
hearing with witnesses who have an
''ulterior motive.''
"I do not believe the timing of this
hearing is a coincidence. The national
elections in India begin on Monday and
continue until May 12. I am concerned
that the goal of this hearing is to
influence the outcome of India's
national elections, which is not an
appropriate role for the US Congress.
Such interference with India's elections
would undermine our shared goals,''
Gabbard, a Democrat from US President
Obama's home state of Hawaii, told the
panel.
"We need to be especially careful not to
directly or indirectly contribute to
sectarian strife in India or other
countries. I am concerned that this
hearing is an attempt to foment fear
and loathing purely for political
purposes. This is wrong and it will
contribute to further sectarian division
in India and will undermine national
interests of the US," Gabbard added, in
withering criticism of the hearing.
"Any attempt by the United States to
have an effect on the Indian elections
will backfire,'' Gabbard's senior
colleague Brad Sherman cautioned
while questioning panelists.
Leaders of the Hindu American
Foundation (HAF) echoed similar
concerns, noting the ''unbalanced''
panel of four witnesses, all of whom
expressed concern over the prospective
election of the Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) candidate, Narendra Modi, as
Prime Minister. A witness that would
have offered a Hindu perspective to
ground realities and the multi-
dimensional nature of inter-religious
tensions in India was not included,
despite requests by some members of
the TLHRC, the foundation said.
Witnesses who testified before the
committee included Katrina Lantos
Swett, Vice Chair, United States
Commission on International Religious
Freedom, John Sifton, Asia Advocacy
Director, Human Rights Watch, Robin
Phillips, Executive Director, The
Advocates for Human Rights, John
Dayal, Member, National Integration
Council, Government of India. Swett has
been a leading advocate of continuing
the US denial of visa for Gujarat chief
minister Narendra Modi.
HAF activists said they had reached out
to the office of Congressman Keith
Ellison, who is the first Muslim to be
elected to the US Congress and is co-
chair of the TLHRC, asking to add their
witness ''to provide additional
perspective on religious freedom in
India.'' But they were told that only
human rights groups were slated to be
on the panel, and not specific to any
religion. HAF pointed out though that
panelist John Dayal serves as the
Secretary General of the All India
Christian Council in addition to being
an activist, and said, ''the rejection
seems disingenuous at best, and
indicative of the ulterior motives of the
hearing sponsors at worst.''
"While the promotion of international
religious freedom should be a US policy
priority, the testimony made it clear
that the witnesses today simply had an
axe to grind with the BJP's prime
ministerial candidate,'' said Jay
Kansara, HAF's Associate Director of
Governmental Relations.
The panel's leading witness made no
secret of her concern over a Modi-led
BJP-alliance coming to power. ''Many
religious minority communities fear
religious freedom will be jeopardized if
the BJP wins and the Gujarat chief
minister Narendra Modi becomes Prime
Minister. We hope that is not the case,''
USCIRF's Katrina Swett said,
recommending that the State
Department elevate religious freedom
concerns in the bilateral strategic
dialogue mechanism.
US rights panel under fire for 'influencing' Indian election - TOI Mobile | The Times of India Mobile Site
