USCIRF recommends ban on RSS: 275 former judges, officials slam report

New Delhi, Mar 21 (PTI) As many as 275 former judges, civil servants and armed forces veterans have criticised a recent report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), which recommended a ban on the RSS. They called the report "highly motivated", reflecting "intellectual bankruptcy and deranged calculations".

In a joint statement issued on Saturday, they urged the US government to carry out a strict background check of all the contributors to this "highly prejudiced and untenable report" in USCIRF, alleging vested interests aimed at vitiating their goodwill with the people of Bharat.

"USCIRF's recommendation to freeze assets, restricted movement of Bharatiya citizens and placing restrictions on those associated with RSS is highly motivated, and displays intellectual bankruptcy and deranged conclusions," the signatories said in a joint statement.

"All six commissioners of USCIRF are appointed by US Government and funded by American Taxpayers through the US Congress. We call upon the US Government to carry out a strict background check of all the contributors to this report in USCIRF.

"It will be an eye opener to the tax payers of US, whose funds are being used by USCIRF to produce highly prejudiced and untenable reports to promote hidden agenda of some anti-Bharat vested interests to vitiate their goodwill with the people of Bharat," they added.

The statement also raised concerns over what it termed USCIRF's recurring tendency to portray Indian institutions and socio-cultural organisations such as the RSS in a negative light without adequate context.

"It shows the recurring tendency of USCIRF to portray Indian state institutions and socio-cultural organizations such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in an overwhelmingly negative aspects, often without proper macro-level evidence.

"It raises legitimate concerns about analytical balance. The RSS, with its extensive grassroots presence and contributions to social service and nation-building, may well be subject to critique, but such critique must be grounded in verifiable evidence and contextual understanding, not only on broad generalizations," it said.

They emphasised that India, as the world's largest democracy with a robust judicial system and institutional oversight, provides limited scope for violations of religious rights to go unaddressed.

"Bharat is the largest democracy of the world. Given the robust, time tested judicial system, vibrant democratic institutions and Parliamentary oversight, there's very less scope for individuals or organizations to go scot-free after violating someone's religious rights," the signatories added.

The signatories lauded the role of the RSS in society, stating that it has been working in various fields not only in India but also abroad, especially during times of natural disasters, while supporting vulnerable sections of society.

"Having been founded in 1925 during the struggle for independence from British occupation, RSS is committed to preserving and embellishing Bharat's stature as a formidable societal and classical civilizational force to reckon with amongst comity of nations.

"From time to time, RSS-inspired organizations globally have been contributing their time and efforts in community service, natural disasters and supporting most vulnerable sections of the society in different countries," they said.

Citing census data, the signatories said minorities have grown or remained stable in India, unlike in Pakistan and Bangladesh, where their populations have declined since Partition.

They noted that Hindus comprised about 20.5 per cent in undivided Pakistan in 1947 but now they account for around 1.5-2 per cent in Pakistan and 7-“8 per cent in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan), down from about 20-“22 per cent in 1951.

"Such longitudinal evidence is critical and suggests that the overall ecosystem in India has not produced the kind of sustained demographic contraction among minorities that would ordinarily indicate systemic persecution or institutionalized exclusion," they added.

A total of 275 signatories include 25 retired judges, 119 retired bureaucrats, including 10 ambassadors, and 131 armed forces officers.

The signatories include former Supreme Court judges such as Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel (also former NGT chairman) and Justice Hemant Gupta, former chief election commissioners OP Rawat and Sunil Arora, former foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal, former NIA director Yogesh Chander Modi, and several retired IAS, IPS, and armed forces officers, among others.

The joint statement was coordinated by former ambassador Bhaswati Mukherjee and former additional chief secretary M Madan Gopal. PTI