New Delhi: A group of 275 former judges, bureaucrats, diplomats and armed forces veterans have objected to the recent report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), calling it “disturbing” and lacking balance.In a joint statement on March 21, the signatories questioned the methodology and findings of the USCIRF report, arguing that assessments of religious freedom should be based on long-term demographic trends rather than “selective or episodic narratives”.Citing census data, the statement said the minority population in India has remained stable or increased over the decades, while the Hindu population in Pakistan and Bangladesh has declined since partition. According to the signatories, such trends show that “the overall ecosystem in India has not generated the kind of sustained demographic contraction… that would indicate systemic oppression.”The group criticized what it called a recurring trend by USCIRF to negatively portray Indian institutions and organizations like the RSS without sufficient broad-level evidence. It states that criticism should be based on “verifiable evidence and relevant understanding”.The statement also took exception to the USCIRF recommendations to ban individuals associated with the RSS, calling them “highly motivated” and lacking credibility.The signatories include former SC judges, High Court judges, former Chief Election Commissioner, former ambassadors and over 130 retired armed forces officers.Describing India as a “strong democracy” with established judicial and parliamentary systems, the group urged the US government to review the basis of the USCIRF report and also investigate its contributors.