India slams USCIRF, says it is spreading misguided reports on professional medical protocols

India on Wednesday dismissed concerns of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) over reports that coronavirus patients were being segregated on the basis of religious identity in an Ahmedabad hospital and asked it to stop adding "religious colour" to the Indian government's efforts in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, in a statement, said the USCIRF is spreading "misguided" reports on the professional medical protocols being followed to deal with the spread of COVID-19 in India.

"As if its peremptory commentary on religious freedom in India is not enough, the USCIRF is now spreading misguided reports on the professional medical protocols followed to deal with the spread of COVID-19 in India," the statement read.

"It must stop adding religious colour to our national goal of fighting the pandemic and distract from larger efforts. No segregation is being done in civil hospitals on the basis of religion, as clarified by the Gujarat Government," it added.

The MEA's prompt reaction comes after USCIRF expressed concern with media reports of Hindu and Muslim patients being lodged in separate hospital wards in a Gujarat hospital.

The USCIRF is a US federal government commission created by the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998. The Commissioners of the orgsation are appointed by the US President and the leadership of both political parties in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

( With inputs from ANI )