<p>The United States is “monitoring” violations of human rights in India, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, as differences between the two nations over Russia-Ukraine conflict came to the fore.</p>.<p>“We share a commitment to our democratic values, such as protecting human rights,” Blinken said as he and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin addressed a news conference jointly with their Indian counterparts S Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, after the fourth round of bilateral 2+2 dialogue early Tuesday (Indian Standard Time).</p>.<p>“We regularly engage with our Indian partners on these shared values, and, to that end, we’re monitoring some recent concerning developments in India, including a rise in human rights abuses by some government, police, and prison officials.”</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-probably-buys-less-oil-from-russia-in-month-that-what-europe-does-in-afternoon-jaishankar-1099950.html" target="_blank">India probably buys less oil from Russia in month that what Europe does in afternoon: Jaishankar</a></strong></p>.<p>This is the first time the US publicly stated that it was “monitoring” human rights abuses in India. The Biden Administration, however, has been tacitly conveying to the Modi government concerns in the US over the perception that India was backsliding on human rights and freedom of speech and religion. The US President, himself, as well as his Vice President Kamala Harris subtly nudged the Prime Minister to protect democratic principles of India, when they had hosted him in Washington on September 24 last year.</p>.<p>Blinken made the comment sharing the podium with Jaishankar and Singh in the US Department of State. The two senior ministers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, however, did not immediately react to the comment by the US Secretary of State.</p>.<p>New Delhi in the past rejected adverse comments by the other US officials on the state of democracy, human rights and religious freedom in India.</p>.<p>Blinken’s comment about US monitoring human rights abuses in India came a few hours after Modi had a video-conference with Biden.</p>.<p>The Modi-Biden virtual meeting and the 2+2 ministerial dialogue were held as the two sides sought to narrow down differences over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.</p>.<p>The US has been nudging India on the issue of declining religious freedom even during Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump’s four-year term in the White House.</p>.<p>Samuel Brownback, the then US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, had in June 2020 expressed concern over violence and discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities in India.</p>.<p>The US Commission for International Religious Freedom – an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission – on November 5 last year reiterated its plea to the Biden Administration to designate India – along with Russia, Lebanon and Vietnam – as a “Country of Particular Concern” in view of the impact of the policies implemented by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s government in New Delhi on religious freedom of the minority Muslims, Sikhs and Christians as well as of the Dalits and the Adivasis.</p>.<p>The Modi government, however, has been defending its track record in protecting democratic principles, human rights and religious freedom.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
<p>The United States is “monitoring” violations of human rights in India, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, as differences between the two nations over Russia-Ukraine conflict came to the fore.</p>.<p>“We share a commitment to our democratic values, such as protecting human rights,” Blinken said as he and US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin addressed a news conference jointly with their Indian counterparts S Jaishankar and Rajnath Singh, after the fourth round of bilateral 2+2 dialogue early Tuesday (Indian Standard Time).</p>.<p>“We regularly engage with our Indian partners on these shared values, and, to that end, we’re monitoring some recent concerning developments in India, including a rise in human rights abuses by some government, police, and prison officials.”</p>.<p><strong>Also Read — <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/india-probably-buys-less-oil-from-russia-in-month-that-what-europe-does-in-afternoon-jaishankar-1099950.html" target="_blank">India probably buys less oil from Russia in month that what Europe does in afternoon: Jaishankar</a></strong></p>.<p>This is the first time the US publicly stated that it was “monitoring” human rights abuses in India. The Biden Administration, however, has been tacitly conveying to the Modi government concerns in the US over the perception that India was backsliding on human rights and freedom of speech and religion. The US President, himself, as well as his Vice President Kamala Harris subtly nudged the Prime Minister to protect democratic principles of India, when they had hosted him in Washington on September 24 last year.</p>.<p>Blinken made the comment sharing the podium with Jaishankar and Singh in the US Department of State. The two senior ministers of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, however, did not immediately react to the comment by the US Secretary of State.</p>.<p>New Delhi in the past rejected adverse comments by the other US officials on the state of democracy, human rights and religious freedom in India.</p>.<p>Blinken’s comment about US monitoring human rights abuses in India came a few hours after Modi had a video-conference with Biden.</p>.<p>The Modi-Biden virtual meeting and the 2+2 ministerial dialogue were held as the two sides sought to narrow down differences over the Russia-Ukraine conflict.</p>.<p>The US has been nudging India on the issue of declining religious freedom even during Biden’s predecessor Donald Trump’s four-year term in the White House.</p>.<p>Samuel Brownback, the then US Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, had in June 2020 expressed concern over violence and discrimination against religious and ethnic minorities in India.</p>.<p>The US Commission for International Religious Freedom – an independent, bipartisan US federal government commission – on November 5 last year reiterated its plea to the Biden Administration to designate India – along with Russia, Lebanon and Vietnam – as a “Country of Particular Concern” in view of the impact of the policies implemented by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s government in New Delhi on religious freedom of the minority Muslims, Sikhs and Christians as well as of the Dalits and the Adivasis.</p>.<p>The Modi government, however, has been defending its track record in protecting democratic principles, human rights and religious freedom.</p>.<p><strong>Watch the latest DH Videos here:</strong></p>
