Indian Ambassador Rebukes US Commission Over Sharjeel Imam

Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Mohan Kwatra condemned the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom on November 14, 2026, after the panel characterized jailed activist Sharjeel Imam as a man detained for religious freedom advocacy. The commission claimed on social media that Imam was arrested for participating in peaceful protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Kwatra dismissed the commission's assessments as partisan, ill-informed, and jaundiced, stating that the body has no authority to judge the constitutional rights of Indian citizens. He told the panel to introspect on its own prejudices and stop lecturing others, asserting that India flourishes despite agenda-driven narratives.

Sharjeel Imam, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University scholar, has been imprisoned for over six years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He faces charges related to a conspiracy behind the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots, which caused 53 deaths and over 700 injuries. While a Delhi court recently declined a police request to cancel Imam's interim bail, the US commission has previously accused India of weaponizing the act to detain religious minorities.

The commission has recommended that the US State Department designate India as a country of particular concern for systematic religious freedom violations. The Government of India maintains that these assessments are biased and politically motivated.