The US state department has “taken down” a notification it issued earlier this week inviting applications from non-governmental organisations for a grant of nearly $500,000 for projects promoting religious freedom in India. “The notification of funding was taken down for a technical review,” a state department spokesperson told Hindustan Times on Friday, but did not offer an explanation for the review or duration. The announcement had caused caused a stir in New Delhi that has historically ignored remarks, comments and reports on the state of religious freedom in India by the United States, as contained in state department’s annual report on religious freedom around the world. We have sought more details,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar told reporters at his weekly media briefing. It doesn’t recognise, for instance, the right of the US trade representative to hold inquisition-style hearings into alleged trade malpractices by trading partners.

Source: Hindustan Times November 11, 2017 04:18 UTC