US Panel Recommends Sanctions on RSS and RAW, Designates India as Country of Concern

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has designated India as a "country of particular concern" and recommended targeted sanctions on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) for alleged religious freedom violations. The USCIRF report cites deteriorating conditions for minorities and calls for linking US arms sales and trade policies to religious freedom. The Indian government and groups like the Sufi Islamic Board have rejected the report as biased, while the Indian National Congress supports sanctions and calls for a ban on the RSS.