Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
Claim
Indian government denied visas to US delegation to visit Manipur.
Fact
2016 video interview shared in a false context.
A news interview of one Father Thomas Reese, identified as a member of a US delegation on religious freedom which was denied visa by the Indian government is being widely shared on social media platforms, with users linking it to the ongoing ethical conflict in Manipur.
In the video, Father Reese of the USCIRF terms India’s rejection of their visas as “kind of sad,” and says “ India is a dynamic democracy, it claims to be a non sectarian state. It has pledged itself to international agreements on religious freedoms. So what is it hiding? Why isn’t it willing to have us come and look at the situation?” He also speaks about the situation of Christians and attacks on churches in India.
Multiple social media users shared the video alleging that the Indian government denied visas to the US delegation to visit Manipur and surprise the situation in the conflict-hit state.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
A shorter version of the footage is doing the rounds on Twitter.
Such posts can be seen here, here and here.
What is USCIRF?
As per its website, “USCIRF is an independent, bipartisan U.S. federal government commission, the first of its kind in the world, dedicated to defending the universal right to freedom of religion or belief abroad. USCIRF reviews the facts and circumstances of religious freedom violations and makes policy recommendations to the President, the Secretary of State, and Congress.”
In this recent report, the USCIRF had again asked the State Department to categorise India as a “country of particular concern” (CPC). Responding to the same, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said that USCIRF continues to “regurgitate biased and motivated comments about India”. “We reject such misrepresentation of facts, which only serves to discredit USCIRF itself,” he reportedly said.
Fact Check/Verification
We noticed a watermark of “CBN News” on the top-right side of the screen in the viral footage.
Taking a clue, we looked up keywords “India,” and “religious freedom” on the official YouTube channel of the CBN News, and found that the viral footage was uploaded on March 10, 2016.
Following this, we searched for “India,” “US” “Visa” and “USCIRF” on Google and set the time frame for the same from March 1, 2016 to March 31, 2016. This yielded a report published in the Guardian, dated March 4, 2016, stating, “India has denied visas for a delegation from the US government agency charged with monitoring international religious freedom. The delegation from the US Commission on International Religious Freedom had been scheduled to leave for India on Friday for a long-planned visit with the support of the US state department and the US embassy in New Delhi, but India had failed to issue the necessary visas, the commission said.”
Also Read: Old Video From Myanmar Shared To Show Assault & Killing Of Kuki Woman In Manipur
In a release, dated March 3, 2016, Robert P. George, the then Chairman of USCIRF said, “We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in effect, of these visas. As a pluralistic, non-sectarian, and democratic state, and a close partner of the United States, India should have the confidence to allow our visit.”
Responding to the same, the Indian Embassy in the US had said, “ We do not see the locus standi of a foreign entity like USCIRF to pass its judgment and comment on the state of Indian citizens’ constitutionally protected rights.”
Furthermore, we did not find any recent reports, or official release indicating that the Indian government has denied visas to any US delegation for visiting the conflict-hit Manipur.
Also Read: 2020 Video Uploaded By Gamer Falsely Linked To Manipur Violence
Conclusion
A 2016 video has been falsely shared to claim that the Indian government has denied visas to the US delegation to visit Manipur.
Result: False
Sources
YouTube Video By CBN News, Dated March 10, 2016
Report Published In The Guardian, Dated March 4, 2016
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Authors
Vasudha noticed the growing problem of mis/disinformation online after studying New Media at ACJ in Chennai and became interested in separating facts from fiction. She is interested in learning how global issues affect individuals on a micro level. Before joining Newschecker’s English team, she was working with Latestly.
Pankaj Menon is a fact-checker based out of Delhi who enjoys ‘digital sleuthing’ and calling out misinformation. He has completed his MA in International Relations from Madras University and has worked with organisations like NDTV, Times Now and Deccan Chronicle online in the past.
