A fresh diplomatic and political storm has erupted following the release of the 2026 Annual Report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF). Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) SP Vaid has come down heavily on the report, terming its observations on India’s religious freedom and demographic shifts as “highly motivated” and “distorted.” Vaid, known for his extensive experience in counter-terrorism, argued that the report ignores the ground reality of the Indian subcontinent.

Speaking to the media, SP Vaid presented a comparative analysis of the Hindu population in South Asia since 1947. He pointed out that while the Hindu population in Bangladesh has plummeted from 22% at the time of independence to barely 7-8% today, the minority population in India has seen a consistent rise. He noted that the Muslim population in India has grown from approximately 9.5% in 1947 to nearly 20% currently, which contradicts the narrative of religious intolerance presented by the US body.

Vaid is among 275 eminent signatories who have formally written to the US government, urging them to reject the USCIRF’s recommendations. He expressed outrage over the commission’s attempt to seek sanctions against Indian entities like the RSS and R&AW. According to Vaid, the report is an attempt to weaponize human rights narratives to undermine India’s sovereign institutions. The Ministry of External Affairs has also rejected the report, calling it a “biased and selective portrayal” of India. The debate continues to intensify as national security experts call for a more objective evaluation of demographic data.