Moon Desk: India’s hypocrisy was laid bare once again when its UN representative condemned the persecution of Hindus and Christians in Pakistan, despite mounting reports of growing persecution against Muslims, Christians, and other minorities within India, as documented by several international watchdogs.
According to Kashmir Media Service, as India points fingers at others, a closer look at its own human rights record reveals a stark contrast.
The USCIRF (U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom) Annual Report, published on March 26, 2025, did not mince words, stating that India is increasingly guilty of religious persecution, with growing attacks on its Muslim and Christian populations. The report highlighted the involvement of India’s external agency, RAW, in international assassination plots, bringing global embarrassment to the self-proclaimed “largest democracy.”
India’s own internal situation is dire, with hate speech incidents surging by 74% in just one year, according to a March 2024 report from Hate Lab. These incidents overwhelmingly targeted Muslims and Christians, yet there was little to no state action to curb such violence. The 2025 World Report by Human Rights Watch paints a grim picture of Modi’s India as a “regime of fear,” where minority blood is spilled with perpetrators walking free under state protection.
Amnesty International’s 2023 statement highlights India’s abuse of anti-terror laws like UAPA to crush dissent, target activists, and terrorize anyone opposing the Hindutva agenda. The Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), condemned by USCIRF and UN Special Rapporteurs, has been widely criticized as legalized apartheid against Muslims. Additionally, UN Special Rapporteurs (OHCHR, 2020) raised serious concerns over the CAA and NRC [National Register of Citizens], calling them discriminatory and anti-Muslim. Despite these grave violations, India continues to falsely project itself as a secular democracy.
Several Indian states have enacted anti-conversion laws that serve as legal weapons against Christians, criminalizing their faith and fueling mob violence and police harassment. These laws are designed not to protect choice but to suppress religious freedom, according to multiple reports. India continues to preach about democracy on the world stage but fails to deliver it for its 200 million-strong Muslim population, with zero representation for them in the Indian parliament. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s National Commission for Minorities has been revitalized to shape better policies for its minorities. India refuses to engage with criticism, censors the media, and brands dissenters as terrorists. This stands in stark contrast to Pakistan’s Supreme Court ruling in 2014, which mandated constitutional protection for religious minorities, a move India has yet to make. Furthermore, India has earned a place among the world’s worst environments for press freedom, as reported by Reporters Without Borders. Modi’s administration continues to suppress free speech, further solidifying its authoritarian image.
India uses the UN as a shield while burning democracy at home. With reports from OHCHR, USCIRF, HRW, and the India Hate Lab all agreeing on India’s slide into religious authoritarianism, it is high time India puts its own house in order before casting judgment on others.
