By Sourit Sanyal
US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar continued her anti-India diatribe after introducing a resolution against India, calling the US Secretary of State for designating India as a country of particular concern. The Democrat Congresswoman cited a violation of religious freedom while introducing the anti-India resolution along with Rashida Talib and Juan Vargas. The resolution wants the Biden administration to execute the suggestions of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom. The commission has been designating India as a country of concern for the past three years.
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Omar introduced the resolution to the House of Representatives on June 22 where it will be seen by the House Foreign Affairs Committee for necessary action. But this resolution is unlikely to get approved. She openly sided with the Pakistani officials on the issue of India. Ilhan Omar visited Pakistan last April where she also met former Prime Minister Imran Khan. She visited Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) where she is yet to disclose the nature and funding of this visit.
The Indian government condemned Omar's visit to PoK, stating that her travel to the region is a violation of India's sovereignty. The External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi criticised Omar's visit, saying, "If such a politician wishes to practice her narrow-minded politics at home, that may be her business. But violating our territorial integrity and sovereignty in its pursuit makes it ours. This visit is condemnable."
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This is not the first occasion where Congresswoman Omar reflected her anti-India stand during several Congressional hearings related to India. Her latest resolution condemns India's alleged human rights violation in India, majorly based on the violation of religious freedom against Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Dalits, and Adivasis. In the resolution, Omar highlighted the "worsening treatment" of the religious minorities in India.
India rejected the criticisms against it in the report of the US State Department on religious freedom. Arindam Bagchi, the spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry said the report observes India based on "motivated inputs and biased views".
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Bagchi said, "It is unfortunate that vote bank politics is being practised in international relations. We would urge that assessments based on motivated inputs and biased views be avoided. As a naturally pluralistic society, India values religious freedom and human rights. In our discussions with the US, we have regularly highlighted issues of concern there, including racially and ethnically motivated attacks, hate crimes and gun violence."
Another controversy around the resolution comes from Pakistan as the news was first reported in advance by a senior official of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the political party of the ousted Prime Minister, Imran Khan. The resolution also criticised a senior State Department official in Pakistan.
