The US aims to destabilise India during the 2024 general election, the Russian foreign ministry has said after a US federal commission’s report criticised New Delhi for alleged violations of religious freedom.

Russia : US Trying To Destabilise India During Lok Sabha Polls

The US aims to destabilise India during the 2024 general election, the Russian foreign ministry has said after a US federal commission’s report criticised New Delhi for alleged violations of religious freedom.

RT news, a Russian government-owned news network, has reported that foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova has said Washington lacks understanding of India’s national mentality and history and continues to make “unfounded accusations” about religious freedoms in India. Zakharova called it disrespectful to India as a country and a State. “The reason [behind the US accusations] is to unbalance the internal political situation in India and complicate the general elections,” RT news quoted her as saying. The foreign ministry spokesperson added that Washington’s actions clearly constitute interference in India’s internal affairs.

This comes after the latest annual report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) criticised India for alleged violations of religious freedom. The commission also renewed its recommendation to the US Department of State to declare India a “Country of Particular Concern”. The Ministry of External Affairs has slammed the US commission for attempting to “interfere” in India’s electoral exercise and continuing to indulge in “propaganda” against the country.

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the ministry, said last week that the USCIRF is known to be a “biased” entity with a political agenda. “The US Commission on International Religious Freedom is known as a biased organisation with a political agenda. They continue to publish their propaganda in India masquerading as part of an annual report.”

The remarks came in connection with a report in The Washington Post that cited unnamed sources and named a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer in connection with the alleged plot to kill Pannun. The report stated that India is trying to do the same as Russia and Saudi Arabia against its enemy.