At least four US Democrats, including Congresswomen Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, have declared that they would boycott Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's speech at the US Congress.
Among the claims for their move to avoid Modi's speech, the high-profile 'Squad' members hurled allegations of the Indian PM's “shameful history” of “human rights abuse”, “religious intolerance,” and even “targeting journalists.”
Ilhan Omar Tweet
© Photo : Twitter
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tweet
© Photo : Twitter
Following suit, Representative Cori Bush also joined her Democrat colleagues.
"Prime Minister Modi has a shameful history of committing human rights abuses, undermining democracy, and targeting journalists. In solidarity with the communities that have been harmed by Modi and his policies, I will be boycotting his joint address to Congress," she claimed in a tweet on Thursday.
In a separate development, as many as 75 Congressional Democrats have submitted a joint letter, demanding that Biden raise human rights concerns with the Indian leader during their bilateral talks at the White House.
US Continues to Press India Over 'Religious Freedom'
In May, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), a body under the federal government of the United States, called on the Biden administration to impose sanctions on Indian government institutions and officials over alleged "severe violations" of religious freedom.
The US commission recommended "freezing assets" of Indian government bodies and holding congressional hearings on the matter.
In response, India's MEA spokesman Arindam Bagchi struck back at the USCIRF's flak by recommending the US agency develop a better understanding of India, "its plurality, democratic ethos and constitutional mechanisms."