New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Congress after its leaders cited a US religious freedom panel’s report that criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and India’s foreign intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

The reaction came after Congress leaders referred to the 2026 Annual Report of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which recommended designating India as a “Country of Particular Concern” (CPC), alleging a deterioration in religious freedom.

BJP leader Rohan Gupta, speaking to IANS in Gujarat, questioned the Congress for backing the report and alleged that the party was aligning with forces hostile to India.

“See, ever since a report came from a US-based organisation, which includes people from Pakistan, the question arises, why Congress and Pakistan are working together? The country’s public can see that while opposing the government, some are sitting in Pakistan’s lap,” Gupta said.

He further said, “This clearly reflects their hatred. In this report, remarks have also been made against RAW. So, when you accept the findings of this body, do they also accept what it has said against RAW? Then what else should this be called if not an anti-national mindset?”

Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai supported the report’s findings and alleged that communal harmony in the country had deteriorated in recent years.

“The report they have given is a very correct report. Wherever the RSS operates across the country and the world, it disrupts communal harmony, and since 2014, when the BJP government came to power, you can see that such incidents have continuously increased,” Rai said.

He further alleged that “mutual brotherhood has almost completely eroded” and claimed that the RSS had created tensions among communities. Rai also said that the report should be implemented and called for the RSS to be banned globally.

Meanwhile, Congress MP Pramod Tiwari also expressed concern over the report and said it raised serious questions about religious freedom in the country.

“The report issued by the Commission on Religious Freedom is concerning. It clearly states that both the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and RAW are interfering with religious freedom. They are disrupting the environment for religious freedom,” Tiwari said.

He added that the findings of the commission supported the Opposition’s long-standing allegations about the deterioration of the religious environment in the country.

“So this is a clear violation of the Constitution of India. What we had been saying all along — that the religious environment in the country is being disturbed — has now been completely proven by the report of this commission. I am making every possible effort to raise this issue in the House so that it can be discussed and the government’s stand can come out,” Tiwari said.

According to the USCIRF’s 2026 report, the panel recommended that the US government designate India as a “Country of Particular Concern”, alleging that the Indian government enables violence and discrimination against religious minorities, particularly Muslims and Christians, including through legislative measures such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

--IANS

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