Letter to President Joe Biden

President Joe Biden
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20500

May 23, 2022

Dear Mr. President,

We were informed that you will be meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Quad Leaders Summit in Japan this week. Under Mr. Modi’s leadership during the past eight years, India has slid from democracy to authoritarian rule, with flagrant and non-stop violations of the rights of religious minorities.

We, the undersigned U.S. citizens, respectfully request that you convey to Mr. Modi that the bipartisan U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom has declared India as a country of particular concern.

This is the third year in a row that the commission has made this declaration for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom,” according to USCIRF’s annual report for 2022.

Religious minorities in India, namely Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and others, suffer discrimination, assaults, demolition of their homes, businesses and places of worship, plus acts of deadly violence on a daily basis. Journalists and critics of the government have been beaten, jailed and persecuted by groups supported by Mr. Modi and the BJP.

Declaring India as a country of particular concern is not a Democratic or Republican issue, but an American issue. Our nation has a duty to stand with oppressed people throughout the world and ensure that their dignity, human rights and religious freedoms are protected, as you pledged during your campaign for president.

The oppressed religious minorities of India are looking up to the United States of America for an end to their misery. America has always stood up in support of the oppressed when needed.

Sincerely,