New Delhi: With a US Congress-established panel criticising attacks on minorities in India, Congress on Friday said it was a "ground reality" that BJP leaders have been making "divisive and communal" statements but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is taking no action against anyone.
"We are not here to support (any such report). India needs no lessons from any foreign country," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters here when referred to the report.
At the same time, he said, "It echoes what you and me are seeing as ground reality."
The "sad truth" of Modi government is that BJP leaders, MPs, MLAs have been making "divisive and communal" statements, Singhvi said, adding the Prime Minister resorts to some general rhetoric "but there is not single action against anyone".
A US Congress established panel has said religious minorities in India have been subjected to "violent attacks, forced conversions" and 'Ghar Wapsi' campaigns by groups like RSS after the Modi government assumed power in 2014.
In its 2015 annual report, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom asked the Obama Administration to press the Indian government to publicly rebuke officials and religious leaders who make derogatory remarks about communities and to boost religious freedom standards in India.
The panel said that despite the country's status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, India has long struggled to protect minority religious communities or provide justice when crimes occur, which perpetuates a climate of impunity.
