Context

• The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has accused India of deteriorating religious freedom.
• The Indian government has rejected it as a “malicious report” and labelled the commission as “biased”.

Religious freedom in the constitution

The right to religious freedom is guaranteed in Articles 25 to 28 of the Indian Constitution. These articles guarantee the following things-:

• Freedom to practice one's religion: Every person has the right to practice and propagate his religion.
• Right to establish and run religious institutions: People can establish and run institutions related to their religion.
• Right to religious education: Religious institutions can impart their education.
• Right to participate in religious activities: People can freely participate in their religious activities.

Challenges to religious freedom:

However, the right to religious freedom in India faces several challenges:

• Religious intolerance: In some regions, incidents of religious intolerance are seen, including discrimination and violence against religious minorities.
• Casteism: Casteism is also a big challenge to religious freedom, because many times religious minorities belong to lower castes and are discriminated against.
• Politicization: Attempts are made to link religion with politics, which increases religious divisions.
• Social pressure: Social pressure also affects religious freedom, because many times people are afraid to change their religion or feel afraid of being ostracized from society.

Measures to promote religious freedom:

The following measures can be taken to promote religious freedom:

• Education: Educate people about religious tolerance and pluralism.
• Effective implementation of law: Take strict action against those who violate the rights of religious minorities.
• Responsibility of media: Media should play its role in promoting religious harmony.
• Creating awareness in society: Create awareness in society about the importance of religious tolerance.