A bipartisan group of 18 American lawmakers has written to House Speaker Paul Ryan, asking him to raise the issue of religious freedom in India during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.


"Religious minority communities '" including Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, and Sikhs -- have endured ongoing violence and harassment for decades in India, and continue to live in a climate where known perpetrators commit violence with impunity," the members of the Congress, led by Trent Franks and Betty McCollum, wrote.


"We respectfully request that during your meetings with the Prime Minister, the 'shared value' of the fundamental right of religious freedom will be a priority in your conversation," they said ahead of the Ryan-Modi meeting. "It is in the best interest of the US and India to reaffirm religious freedom as a shared value in this growing partnership and ensure that conversation concerning justice and accountability for such horrific acts of violence continues," the letter said. In the letter, the lawmakers cite several specific examples of violent attacks that have killed or displaced religious minorities.