The process of external interference in India's internal affairs and laws has once again intensified, when an American organization has openly expressed its displeasure over the conviction and jailing of a person under the anti-conversion law in Madhya Pradesh. The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has given sharp statements against India regarding this entire legal action and has raised questions on the judicial and administrative system of the country. India has always made it clear that the laws of the country are equal for every citizen and it is the sovereign responsibility of the state governments to enforce the laws made to maintain public order and social harmony. Despite this, the continuous targeting of Indian laws by this US commission shows how western countries try to interfere unnecessarily in the internal affairs of a sovereign nation. Strict provisions have been made in Madhya Pradesh to prevent cases of illegal or forced religious conversion, so as to protect the weaker sections of the society from changing religion through inducement or pressure. When the local administration and judiciary completed their action as per the law, unnecessary politics started on this issue at the international level, which has sparked a lot of discussion in diplomatic circles. What is the whole matter and why is there controversy over the law of Madhya Pradesh? This entire controversy has heated up after a strict action taken under the Freedom of Religion Act in Madhya Pradesh. The government has adopted a policy of zero tolerance against those who convert people through force, fraud or inducement in the state, under which recently a person (Jeet Singh and other cases) was arrested and sent to jail. On the basis of complaints received by the local police and administration for a long time, it was found that the activities were being carried out by disregarding the rules. As soon as the court and administration took action in this matter, USCIRF, an American organization preparing reports in the name of human rights and religious freedom, became active. This Commission, in its reports and statements, has again reiterated India's old style of terming state-level anti-conversion laws against the rights of minorities. Legal experts in India believe that such laws are not against any particular religion but rather ensure that no person is forced to change his religious belief through deception or pressure. Despite this, hyping such cases in foreign forums appears to be part of a deliberate strategy to put pressure on the Indian judicial process. USCIRF's anti-India attitude and big questions raised on double standards: This is not the first case of the American organization USCIRF spewing venom on India's internal policies or making unnecessary comments. This organization has been biased towards India in its reports for a long time and prepares its quarterly and annual reports on the basis of anti-national elements or misleading information. Analysts say that this Commission maintains complete silence on the incidents of racial violence, atrocities on minorities and continuous attacks and vandalism on Hindu temples in America and Western countries, but in a democratic country like India, where there is rule of law, it starts presenting even small administrative and legal actions as violation of religious freedom. The Government of India has clearly stated many times in the past that USCIRF's assessment of India's affairs is completely biased, politically motivated and far away from the ground reality. The laws made by the Parliament and State Legislatures of the country work within the ambit of the Constitution and no external foreign body should have any right to comment on the internal law and order matters of India. Strong message on India's sovereignty and diplomatic front: After the statements made by America on this matter of Madhya Pradesh, the debate has once again intensified in the political and diplomatic circles of India that the country should not compromise with its internal security and cultural integrity at any cost. Whenever India takes any strict step to protect the interests of its citizens or crack down on illegal activities, such western commissions try to exert pressure by wearing human rights glasses. India is the largest and strongest democracy in the world, where the judiciary is independent and the Constitution gives every citizen the right to live in his own way, provided he follows the laws of the country. This stand of the Madhya Pradesh government is completely in the public interest to maintain transparency in matters of religious conversion and to stop forced conversions. In the coming times, it will be important to see how the Indian government responds to this type of external rhetoric at the diplomatic level, but it is clear that external interference on the internal policies of the country will not be accepted under any circumstances.
