India briefs US on initiatives for safeguarding rights of minorities
US ambassador-at-large for religious freedom David Saperstein and minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi discussed issues including the 'triple talaq' and Uniform Civil Code
New Delhi: India on Tuesday briefed visiting US ambassador-at-large for religious freedom David Saperstein on various initiatives taken by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government for safeguarding the rights and uplift of minorities in the country.
Saperstein met minority affairs minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and discussed issues including the “triple talaq” and Uniform Civil Code (UCC), the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
“Had deeply meaningful conversations with community leaders on religious life in #India. Appreciate their insights,” said a Twitter post by Saperstein.
“Visited the #Sikh community with DAS Manpreet Anand at the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, New Delhi, #India,” he said in another post.
A person familiar with the developments said, “Saperstein is here to attend a private event and, on the sidelines of the event, he had sought some meetings, which were arranged for him.”
In its report in May, US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) had said that India was on a “negative trajectory” in 2015 as far as religious freedom was concerned as religious tolerance “deteriorated.”
Rejecting the report, India had said it does not see the locus standi of a foreign entity like USCIRF to pronounce on the state of Indian citizens’ constitutionally protected rights and it takes “no cognisance” of their report.
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First Published:14 Dec 2016, 12:38 AM IST
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