India denies visas to U.S. religious freedom bodyWASHINGTON (Reuters) - India has denied visas for a delegation from the U.S. government agency charged with monitoring international religious freedom, the agency said on Thursday. The delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom had been scheduled to leave for India on Friday for a long-planned visit with the support of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, but India had failed to issue the necessary visas, the commission said. “We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in effect, of these visas,” USCIRF chairman Robert  George said in a statement. “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,” he said. George said USCIRF had been able to travel to many countries, including those among the worst offenders of religious freedom, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China, and Myanmar. “One would expect that the Indian government would allow for more transparency than have these nations, and would welcome the opportunity to convey its views directly to USCIRF.” The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last year, despite a much-heralded fresh start in U.S.-India ties under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United States ran into problems arranging visits by the head of its office to combat human trafficking and its special envoy for gay rights. A U.S. State Department official referred queries on the visa issue to the Indian government, but highlighted remarks by President Barack Obama on a visit to Delhi last year, in which he made a plea for freedom of religion in a country with a history of strife between Hindus and minorities. In its 2015 report, the bipartisan USCIRF said incidents of religiously motivated and communal violence had reportedly increased for three consecutive years. It said that despite its status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, India had long struggled to protect minority religious communities or provide justice when crimes occur, creating a climate of impunity.  Non-governmental organizations and religious leaders, including from the Muslim, Christian, and Sikh communities, attributed the initial increase in violence to religiously divisive campaigning in advance of the country’s 2014 general election won by Modi.  The report said that since the election, religious minorities had been subject to derogatory comments by politicians linked to Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and numerous violent attacks and forced conversions by Hindu nationalist groups. U.S. law allows for imposition of sanctions on countries the commission terms “of particular concern,” but the USCIRF’s recommendations are not binding and these are not automatically imposed. politicsNews
india denies visas religious freedom bodywashington reuters india denied visas delegation government agency charged monitoring international religious freedom agency said thursday the delegation commission international religious freedom scheduled leave india friday visit support state department embassy new delhi india failed issue necessary visas commission said we deeply disappointed indian government denial effect visas scarf chairman robert george said statement as pluralistic democratic state close partner united states india confidence allow visit said george said scarf able travel many countries including among worst offenders religious freedom including pakistan saudi arabia vietnam china myanmar one would expect indian government would allow transparency nations would welcome opportunity convey views directly the indian embassy washington immediately respond request comment last year despite fresh start ties indian prime minister narendra modi united states ran problems arranging visits head office combat human trafficking special envoy gay rights a state department official referred queries visa issue indian government highlighted remarks president barack obama visit delhi last year made plea freedom religion country history strife hindu minorities in report bipartisan scarf said incidents religiously motivated communal violence reportedly increased three consecutive years it said despite status pluralistic secular democracy india long struggled protect minority religious communities provide justice crimes occur creating climate impunity organizations religious leaders including muslim christian sikh communities attributed initial increase violence religiously divisive campaigning advance country general election modi the report said since election religious minorities subject derogatory comments politicians linked modi bharatiya canada party numerous violent attacks forced conversions hindu nationalist groups law allows imposition sanctions countries commission terms particular concern scarf recommendations binding automatically imposed politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: India denies visas to U.S. religious freedom bodyWASHINGTON (Reuters) - India has denied visas for a delegation from the U.S. government agency charged with monitoring international religious freedom, the agency said on Thursday. The delegation from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom had been scheduled to leave for India on Friday for a long-planned visit with the support of the U.S. State Department and the U.S. embassy in New Delhi, but India had failed to issue the necessary visas, the commission said. “We are deeply disappointed by the Indian government’s denial, in effect, of these visas,” USCIRF chairman Robert  George said in a statement. “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,” he said. George said USCIRF had been able to travel to many countries, including those among the worst offenders of religious freedom, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, China, and Myanmar. “One would expect that the Indian government would allow for more transparency than have these nations, and would welcome the opportunity to convey its views directly to USCIRF.” The Indian embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Last year, despite a much-heralded fresh start in U.S.-India ties under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the United States ran into problems arranging visits by the head of its office to combat human trafficking and its special envoy for gay rights. A U.S. State Department official referred queries on the visa issue to the Indian government, but highlighted remarks by President Barack Obama on a visit to Delhi last year, in which he made a plea for freedom of religion in a country with a history of strife between Hindus and minorities. In its 2015 report, the bipartisan USCIRF said incidents of religiously motivated and communal violence had reportedly increased for three consecutive years. It said that despite its status as a pluralistic, secular democracy, India had long struggled to protect minority religious communities or provide justice when crimes occur, creating a climate of impunity.  Non-governmental organizations and religious leaders, including from the Muslim, Christian, and Sikh communities, attributed the initial increase in violence to religiously divisive campaigning in advance of the country’s 2014 general election won by Modi.  The report said that since the election, religious minorities had been subject to derogatory comments by politicians linked to Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party and numerous violent attacks and forced conversions by Hindu nationalist groups. U.S. law allows for imposition of sanctions on countries the commission terms “of particular concern,” but the USCIRF’s recommendations are not binding and these are not automatically imposed. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: india denies visas religious freedom bodywashington reuters india denied visas delegation government agency charged monitoring international religious freedom agency said thursday the delegation commission international religious freedom scheduled leave india friday visit support state department embassy new delhi india failed issue necessary visas commission said we deeply disappointed indian government denial effect visas scarf chairman robert george said statement as pluralistic democratic state close partner united states india confidence allow visit said george said scarf able travel many countries including among worst offenders religious freedom including pakistan saudi arabia vietnam china myanmar one would expect indian government would allow transparency nations would welcome opportunity convey views directly the indian embassy washington immediately respond request comment last year despite fresh start ties indian prime minister narendra modi united states ran problems arranging visits head office combat human trafficking special envoy gay rights a state department official referred queries visa issue indian government highlighted remarks president barack obama visit delhi last year made plea freedom religion country history strife hindu minorities in report bipartisan scarf said incidents religiously motivated communal violence reportedly increased three consecutive years it said despite status pluralistic secular democracy india long struggled protect minority religious communities provide justice crimes occur creating climate impunity organizations religious leaders including muslim christian sikh communities attributed initial increase violence religiously divisive campaigning advance country general election modi the report said since election religious minorities subject derogatory comments politicians linked modi bharatiya canada party numerous violent attacks forced conversions hindu nationalist groups law allows imposition sanctions countries commission terms particular concern scarf recommendations binding automatically imposed politicsnews