The remarks came in the wake of widespread protests held across India against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The
US has expressed concern over the current situation of religious
freedom in India and raised the issue with Indian officials, a
senior State Department official has said.
The
remarks came in the wake of widespread protests held across India
against the Citizenship
Amendment Act (CAA).
The
senior State Department official, on condition of anonymity, said
that he has met with officials in India about what is taking place in
the nation and expressed concern.
"We
are concerned about what's taking place in India. I have met with the
Indian foreign minister. I've met with the Indian ambassador (to
express my concern)," the official, who was recently in India,
told reporters on Wednesday.
The
US has also "expressed desire first to try to help and work
through some of these issues", the official said as Secretary of
State Mike Pompeo launched a 27-nation International Religious
Freedom Alliance.
"To
me, the initial step we try to do in most places is say what can we
do to be of help you work through an issue to where there's not
religious persecution. That's the first step, is just saying can we
work with you on this," the official said.
India
maintains that the Indian Constitution guarantees fundamental rights
to all its citizens, including its minority communities.
It
is widely acknowledged that India is a vibrant democracy where the
Constitution provides protection of religious freedom, and where
democratic governance and rule of law further promote and protect
fundamental rights, a senior official of the Ministry of External
Affairs has said.
According
to the CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and
Christian communities who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and
Afghanistan till December 31, 2014 following religious persecution
there will get Indian citizenship.
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