The US religious freedom watchdog on Friday once again called on the Biden administration to designate India as a “country of particular concern” under the US Religious Freedom Act.

The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), an independent federal government commission, said “recent efforts by the Indian government to silence activists, journalists, and lawyers abroad pose a serious threat to religious freedom.”

“USCIRF implores the US Department of State to designate India a Country of Particular Concern due to India’s systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of freedom of religion or belief,” it said in a statement.

USCIRF Commissioner Stephen Schneck also expressed ‘deep concern’ over the alleged involvement of India in the assassination of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada and an alleged plot to murder Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in the US.

“We call on the Biden administration to acknowledge the Indian government’s perpetration of particularly severe religious freedom violations and designate it as a country of particular concern (CPC),” Schneck said.

USCIRF said it had recommended each year since 2020 that the State Department label India a country of particular concern, a designation under the 1998 US Religious Freedom Act. The act allows a range of policy responses, including sanctions or waivers, however, they are not automatic.