&nbsp;Europe is a test case for a very special reason. The European continent has always considered itself the Avant Garde of secularism. In 2013, the European Union published guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief.

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In 2016, Jan Figel was appointed special envoy for this, for the promotion of freedom of religion outside the EU. In 2018 and 2019, Europe sanctioned countries for they way they treated Muslims, mostly for a good reason but also because Europe felt the moral authority and responsibility to tell the world how to treat minorities as recently as 2020, the European parliament wanted to discuss India's citizenship amendment act and the removal of special status of Kashmir. It had no business doing so but the EU, the self-appointed gatekeeper of secularism wanted to lecture India on the treatment of minorities.

In November 2020, Europe itself is rushing to legislate on religion and come December, France will table a bill that will help the state regulate Islam. It will help the state monitor the funding of French mosques.

It will create a certificate program for French imams and it will ban homeschooling for young children to prevent the creation of Islamic schools or Madrassas.

If a non-European, non-Western country had planned such a bill, Europe would have cried Islamophobia. It would have sat down to draw a list of sanctions against the country, slapped its leaders with a travel ban probably frozen their assets but now terror has struck home.

France is legislating to create its own brand of Islam and in doing so, France doesn't care if it's being called Islamophobe. Europe is finally learning to crack down on terror and unfortunately, it is learning the hard way.

Just like the United States did post the attacks of 9/11 before the two planes crashed into the twin towers, America took pride preaching secularism. In 1998, the Clinton administration created the office of international religious freedom (IRF) within the US state department.

Three years later, Washington found itself looking at every Muslim with suspicion, at least 1,200 people were detained by the end of November 2001. In her book "detained without a cause" Irum Sheikh writes that the US immigration officials began categorising Muslims "special interest" cases.

Europe's lectures on CAA and Kashmir were an overreach, India's tour of European MP's to seek validation on Kashmir even worse, if Europe must compare its own brand of secularism to India's - it should see which has worked. Going forward, Europe cannot confuse appeasement with secularism. It is time to work on the faultlines. Counter-terror with all sincerity without making any exceptions.

Europe is a test case for a very special reason. The European continent has always considered itself the Avant Garde of secularism. In 2013, the European Union published guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief.

Europe is a test case for a very special reason. The European continent has always considered itself the Avant Garde of secularism. In 2013, the European Union published guidelines on the promotion and protection of freedom of religion or belief. In 2016, Jan Figel was appointed special envoy for this, for the promotion of freedom of religion outside the EU. In 2018 and 2019, Europe sanctioned countries for they way they treated Muslims, mostly for a good reason but also because Europe felt the moral authority and responsibility to tell the world how to treat minorities as recently as 2020, the European parliament wanted to discuss India's citizenship amendment act and the removal of special status of Kashmir. It had no business doing so but the EU, the self-appointed gatekeeper of secularism wanted to lecture India on the treatment of minorities. In November 2020, Europe itself is rushing to legislate on religion and come December, France will table a bill that will help the state regulate Islam. It will help the state monitor the funding of French mosques. It will create a certificate program for French imams and it will ban homeschooling for young children to prevent the creation of Islamic schools or Madrassas. If a non-European, non-Western country had planned such a bill, Europe would have cried Islamophobia. It would have sat down to draw a list of sanctions against the country, slapped its leaders with a travel ban probably frozen their assets but now terror has struck home. France is legislating to create its own brand of Islam and in doing so, France doesn't care if it's being called Islamophobe. Europe is finally learning to crack down on terror and unfortunately, it is learning the hard way. Just like the United States did post the attacks of 9/11 before the two planes crashed into the twin towers, America took pride preaching secularism. In 1998, the Clinton administration created the office of international religious freedom (IRF) within the US state department. Three years later, Washington found itself looking at every Muslim with suspicion, at least 1,200 people were detained by the end of November 2001. In her book "detained without a cause" Irum Sheikh writes that the US immigration officials began categorising Muslims "special interest" cases. Europe's lectures on CAA and Kashmir were an overreach, India's tour of European MP's to seek validation on Kashmir even worse, if Europe must compare its own brand of secularism to India's - it should see which has worked. Going forward, Europe cannot confuse appeasement with secularism. It is time to work on the faultlines. Counter-terror with all sincerity without making any exceptions.

Europe cannot confuse appeasement with secularism

An Indian-American woman lawyer on Thursday was appointed to a top post in a US organisation, which advocates religious freedom.&nbsp;

Anurima Bhargava, a civil rights lawyer, has been appointed as a Commissioner to the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the US Congress to monitor, analyse and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.

Born and raised in Chicago, Bhargava is currently the founder and president of the Anthem of Us, which describes itself as "a strategic advisory firm that works with educational institutions and corporations to promote dignity and justice for all".

She has an extensive experience in various roles advocating for members of under-represented communities, including at the US Department of Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF).

The USCIRF is currently headed by Tibetan-American Tenzin Dorjee.&nbsp;

Dorjee commended House Leader Nancy Pelosi for appointing Bhargava as a USCIRF Commissioner.

"With an impressive background and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for members of minority communities in the United States and abroad, Anurima Bhargava brings an important new perspective that will enhance the work of the Commission, especially on democratic India, with whom the United States has a long and proud relationship," he said.

In addition to her work at the Department of Justice and the LDF, Bhargava served as a fellow at the Open Society Foundations and at the Harvard University.

Before attending law school, Bhargava worked in India assisting women elected to local government. She has been a member of the Truman National Security Project and the Council on Foreign Relations.

An Indian-American woman lawyer on Thursday was appointed to a top post in a US organisation, which advocates religious freedom. Anurima Bhargava, a civil rights lawyer, has been appointed as a Commissioner to the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the US Congress to monitor, analyse and report on threats to religious freedom abroad.

An Indian-American woman lawyer on Thursday was appointed to a top post in a US organisation, which advocates religious freedom. Anurima Bhargava, a civil rights lawyer, has been appointed as a Commissioner to the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent, bipartisan federal government entity established by the US Congress to monitor, analyse and report on threats to religious freedom abroad. Born and raised in Chicago, Bhargava is currently the founder and president of the Anthem of Us, which describes itself as "a strategic advisory firm that works with educational institutions and corporations to promote dignity and justice for all". She has an extensive experience in various roles advocating for members of under-represented communities, including at the US Department of Justice and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF). The USCIRF is currently headed by Tibetan-American Tenzin Dorjee. Dorjee commended House Leader Nancy Pelosi for appointing Bhargava as a USCIRF Commissioner. "With an impressive background and a demonstrated commitment to advocating for members of minority communities in the United States and abroad, Anurima Bhargava brings an important new perspective that will enhance the work of the Commission, especially on democratic India, with whom the United States has a long and proud relationship," he said. In addition to her work at the Department of Justice and the LDF, Bhargava served as a fellow at the Open Society Foundations and at the Harvard University. Before attending law school, Bhargava worked in India assisting women elected to local government. She has been a member of the Truman National Security Project and the Council on Foreign Relations.

Indian-American woman appointed to US body advocating religious freedom

A&nbsp;mandated to review facts and circumstances of a violation of international religious freedom have decided to postpone a hearing on freedom of religion or belief in India, which was scheduled for Wednesday.&nbsp;

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said the hearing titled 'Freedom of Religion or Belief in India: Rising Challenges &amp; New Opportunities for US Policy' would be held after the release of its annual report on international religious freedom in May next year.&nbsp;

"Due to an overwhelming response in interest on the topic of religious freedom in India by a wide variety of religious and civic organisations, the USCIRF has announced the postponement of this Wednesday's scheduled hearing in order to accommodate more participants and attendees," the commission said.

A mandated to review facts and circumstances of a violation of international religious freedom have decided to postpone a hearing on freedom of religion or belief in India, which was scheduled for Wednesday.

A mandated to review facts and circumstances of a violation of international religious freedom have decided to postpone a hearing on freedom of religion or belief in India, which was scheduled for Wednesday. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said the hearing titled 'Freedom of Religion or Belief in India: Rising Challenges & New Opportunities for US Policy' would be held after the release of its annual report on international religious freedom in May next year. "Due to an overwhelming response in interest on the topic of religious freedom in India by a wide variety of religious and civic organisations, the USCIRF has announced the postponement of this Wednesday's scheduled hearing in order to accommodate more participants and attendees," the commission said.

USCIRF hearing on religious freedom in India postponed

Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in a speech while releasing the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report.&nbsp;

&quot;Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, where more than two dozen are on death row or serving a life imprisonment for blasphemy,&quot; Tillerson said.

The report said that religious minorities are concerned about the &ldquo;inadequate&rdquo; action on part of the government to address &ldquo;coerced conversions&rdquo; to Islam.&nbsp;

&quot;Religious minorities said they remained concerned that government action to address coerced conversions of religious minorities to Islam was inadequate,&quot; the report, first under the Trump administration, said.

The report added that religious minority leaders continue to say that the government has failed to take proper action to protect minorities from bonded labour in the brick-making and agricultural sectors, a practice which is illegal and in which the victims were disproportionately Christians and Hindus.

The report said that according to Hindu and Sikh leaders, women from their communities face difficulties in obtaining inheritances, accessing health services, voting, obtaining a passport and buying or selling property because of the legal uncertainty surrounding the process of registering marriages for their communities.&nbsp;

The report also said that the government marginalises Ahmadiyya Muslims.

&quot;It is my hope that the new prime minister (Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) and his government will promote interfaith harmony and protect the rights of religious minorities,&quot; Tillerson said after releasing the report.&nbsp;

 
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Religious minorities are concerned about the 'inadequate' action on part of the government to address 'coerced conversions' to Islam, the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report said

Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson said in a speech while releasing the 2016 International Religious Freedom Report. "Religious freedom is under attack in Pakistan, where more than two dozen are on death row or serving a life imprisonment for blasphemy," Tillerson said. The report said that religious minorities are concerned about the “inadequate” action on part of the government to address “coerced conversions” to Islam. "Religious minorities said they remained concerned that government action to address coerced conversions of religious minorities to Islam was inadequate," the report, first under the Trump administration, said. The report added that religious minority leaders continue to say that the government has failed to take proper action to protect minorities from bonded labour in the brick-making and agricultural sectors, a practice which is illegal and in which the victims were disproportionately Christians and Hindus. The report said that according to Hindu and Sikh leaders, women from their communities face difficulties in obtaining inheritances, accessing health services, voting, obtaining a passport and buying or selling property because of the legal uncertainty surrounding the process of registering marriages for their communities. The report also said that the government marginalises Ahmadiyya Muslims. "It is my hope that the new prime minister (Shahid Khaqan Abbasi) and his government will promote interfaith harmony and protect the rights of religious minorities," Tillerson said after releasing the report.

Religious freedom under threat in Pakistan: US