US panel urges sanctions on RAW as fanatics target Aurangzeb’s tomb
Muslims say they should not be held accountable for events in the past
THE WORLDVIEW
March 26, 2025
AS hardline supporters of India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) intensify their calls for the demolition of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb Alamgir’s tomb, a US government panel has recommended sanctions on India’s intelligence agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), over its alleged involvement in assassination plots targeting Sikh separatists abroad.
In its annual report released on Tuesday, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also urged that India be designated a “country of particular concern” due to worsening conditions for religious minorities, particularly Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs.
“Religious freedom conditions in India continued to deteriorate in 2024, with rising attacks and discrimination against religious minorities,” the commission stated.
The USCIRF accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party of promoting “hateful rhetoric and disinformation” against minorities, particularly during the 2024 general elections. It cited Modi’s remarks labelling Muslims as “infiltrators” who “have more children” as an example of inflammatory speech.
Although the panel’s recommendations are not legally binding, the call for sanctions adds to mounting international criticism of India’s human rights and religious freedom record. The Trump administration is unlikely to act against RAW, given New Delhi’s strategic role in countering China.
The report follows US authorities charging former Indian intelligence officer Vikash Yadav in 2023 in connection with an alleged plot to assassinate US-based Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.
Meanwhile, Hindu nationalist groups’ campaign against the 17th-century Mughal emperor has further fuelled tensions for India’s Muslim community. Many Muslims have voiced frustration over being vilified for the actions of a ruler who died more than 300 years ago, arguing they should not be held accountable for historical events.
The last resting place of Aurangzeb Alamgir