Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Religion & Law Blogs -> Religion Clause

Religion & Law

: Religion Clause

Hindu Leader Opposes Planned USCIRF Trip To India

By Howard M. Friedman

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom is planning to visit India this month, with a particular focus on past violence against Christians in the state of Orissa and Hindu-Muslim violence in Gujarat in 2002. Christians have welcomed the upcoming visit. (Asia News, 5/4.) However a report today by the Sakaal Times says that Hindu religious leader Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati has told reporters he opposes the USCIRF visit:

We will not allow interference in our internal religious affairs by external bodies. We see US Commission on Internal Religious Freedom (USCIRF) as an intrusive mechanism of a foreign government which is interfering with the internal affairs of India.

[Thanks to Tom Carter for the lead.]

Full post as published by Religion Clause on June 12, 2009 (boomark / email).