Page 138 - Religion Belief

Youth held for impersonating Patanjali Chief on Facebook

The Noida police on Saturday arrested a youth, Mohammad Jeeshan, for impersonating the Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved Limited, Acharya Balkrishna Facebook.The police also recovered mobile phones and two SIM cards from the accused, who created a fake account of Balkrishna on the social networking site and indulged in inappropriate conversations with the latter's followers.Soon after the arrest was made, Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijarawala claimed that a deliberate effort was being made to defame religious leaders, and called for stern action against the accused.He also urged the police to considered the accused at par with a rape convict."What has happened is against the culture, religion, and values of Indian society, and an attempt to defame religious leaders by spreading false information about them. Accused in such cases should be given the same punishment as that given to those guilty of rape," he tweeted in Hindi.Tijarawala had earlier appealed to Prime Minister Narendra

Kerala Police team meets nuns in Jalandhar

Even though it failed to meet the bishop accused of sexually abusing a senior nun, a team of the Kerala Police met some nuns in Punjab's Jalandhar district on Saturday.

Protests continue against mosque demolition in China

Chinese state media has defended the planned demolition of a mosque in the country's north west, saying that no religion is bigger than the law even as thousands of ethnic Hui Muslims continued sit-in protests against the plan. Thousands of protesters thwarted attempts by officials in Wuzhong city on Thursday to demolish parts of the Weizhou Grand Mosque in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region for alleged violations during its recent renovation. The sit-in reportedly continued towards the weekend as the protesters stayed put in the mosque. They refused to leave and the appearance of large cooking stoves and large supplies of food and water last evening suggested many of them were in for the long haul, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported. "The officials have not given us a clear answer. And we plan to carry on until the government makes it clear that it won't make any changes to the mosque," the Post quoted a protester as saying. Chinese officials say the mosque authorities .

Never thought CM who compared Muslims with puppy can be PM: Aiyar

Suspended Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar on Saturday came up with a fresh comment that may soon evoke strong reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Speaking at the inauguration of 'Enough With intolerance National Campaign' event at India International Centre, Aiyar said he could never imagine that any person who called Muslims as puppy can become Prime Minister of India."Before 2014, I would have never thought, that a Chief Minister thinks of Muslims as puppy. The individual, who was when asked about whether you have any regrets that so many Muslims lost their lives in 2002, had said that even if a puppy comes under a car, I will feel the pain. I have thought over this statement. He never visited any Muslim refugee camp for 24 days (after Gujarat riots) and reached Shah Alam mosque in Ahmadabad only when (then) Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee came, as it was the necessity of the protocol. I had never thought that any such individual can become Prime Minister," ...

Nun case: Kerala Police team in Jalandhar, fails to meet bishop

A Kerala Police team arrived in Punjab's Jalandhar city on Friday, but failed to meet the controversial bishop, who is accused of sexually abusing a nun, fearing law and order trouble.

Large protests by Hui Muslims halts demolition of mosque in China: Report

Chinese officials have delayed the plan to demolish a newly-built mosque in the country's North West after hundreds of ethnic Hui Muslims held sit-in protests in what is said to be the largest standoff in Beijing's efforts to clampdown on Islamisation, a media report said today. A huge crowd of ethnic Hui Muslims, the second largest Muslim group after Uygurs of Xinjiang, gathered from noon until late last night in the square outside the Weizhou Grand Mosque thwarting plans by the local government to demolish the mosque. The mosque is an imposing white structure topped with nine onion-shaped domes, crescent moons and four towering minarets. The local county head came to the mosque around midnight, urging everyone to go home and promised that the government would not touch the newly-built structure until a reconstruction plan has been agreed upon by the townsmen, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported quoting local sources as saying. The stand-off in the town of Weizhou ..

Bangladeshi Jamat-e-Islami member arrested in Meghalaya

A Bangladeshi national, working with Jamat-e-Islami foundation of Bangladesh, was arrested by troopers of the Border Security Forces (BSF) in Meghalaya, officials said on Thursday.

Kanwariyas' vandalism: Public display of hooliganism unacceptable, says Niti's Rajiv Kumar

Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar today came down heavily on kanwariyas for their unruly behaviour and wondered whether hooliganism should be allowed in the name of religion. Kumar tweeted, "Public display of hooliganism should be unacceptable. Behavior of Kanwarias on national highways is a public hazard. Why should state authorities not control this movement & stop loud offensive music & takeover roads for hrs. Should Hooliganism be allowed in the name of religion?" Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the chairman of Niti Aayog. According to police, over 20 kanwariyas (Lord Shiva devotees) damaged a grey Santro car on August 7. The occupants of the car were a man and a woman, who had got into an argument with the kanwariyas. The man had allegedly slapped a kanwariya. Following this, the kanwarias had damaged the vehicle with sticks. Traffic movement was also affected in the area.

Apex body of YMCAs in India moves HC against appointment of observer for its polls

The apex body of the Young Men's Christian Associations (YMCA) in India today challenged in the Delhi High Court its single judge's interim order appointing an independent observer to supervise and conduct the polls for elected posts in its national executive, saying the decision was erroneous. The plea by the National Council of Young Men's Christian Associations of India came up for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice C Hari Shankar which directed that it be heard by another bench on August 16. It did not give any reason for not hearing the matter. Apart from appointing retired chief justice of Rajasthan High Court Anil Dev Singh as an observer to oversee the organisation's elections, the single judge in her July 20 order had also restrained the apex body of 756 units of YMCAs in India from dealing with any of the immovable properties it holds in trust. The single judge, while issuing the directions, had said that a perusal of the ballot forms of the ..

Youth Cong celebrates foundation day, launches rally against 'hatred and violence' in country

Congress' youth wing today celebrated its foundation day by flagging off a rally from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat to fight "hatred and violence" in the country. A new logo of the Indian Youth Congress (IYC) was unveiled on the occasion and a 'Jan Sewak' programme was also launched to felicitate its "committed and hardworking" members. A certificate of excellence was presented to IYC members from different parts of the country for their outstanding performance. The 'Nafrat Chodo Pyaar Baaton (shun hatred spread love)' rally will conclude at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat in Delhi on August 15, after passing through Rajasthan and Haryana, IYC spokesperson Amrish Ranjan Pandey said. "The rally is aimed at eliminating the evil of hatred and discrimination in the name of religion, caste, community, gender and race. At this point, when the country is getting deeper into dangers of killings, rape, murder, lynching and mass violence, IYC had taken a pledge to remove this hatred from the ...

World has become a dangerous place to live in: John

Actor-producer John Abraham, who has been doing patriotic films for a while now, feels that world has now become a dangerous place to live in.

She wasn't Hindu after marrying a Muslim, says temple head who denied shradh ritual for dead woman

A Muslim husband wants to perform a ritual for his dead Hindu wife and a temple society in a New Delhi Bengali-dominated neighbourhood has not allowed because they believe the woman was no longer a Hindu after her marriage even as she hadnt given up her faith.

Rekha Sharma appointed chairperson of NCW

NCW member Rekha Sharma, who recently stoked a controversy by suggesting abolition of confessions in churches, has been appointed as the chairperson of the National Commission for Women. Sharma, 54, was earlier a member of the Commission and was holding the additional charge of chairperson after Lalitha Kumaramangalam demitted office in September last year. She belongs to Haryana As a member of the Commission, she visited and inspected a number of psychiatric institutions, custodial homes throughout the country and interacted with women admitted in these institutions, the NCW said in a statement. Reacting to her appointment, Sharma said, "It is with a great honour, respect and sense of duty that I take up the charge of Chairperson, National Commission for Women". "The National Commission for Women will stay true to its mission of upholding women's constitutional and legal rights and facilitating redressal of their grievances," she added. Sharma was recently embroiled in a controversy .

West Bengal govt ensures development of tribal people: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that her government has ensured all-round development of the tribal people in the state. "Today is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. In #Bangla we are observing the day as #AdivasiDibas," she tweeted. "Our Govt has ensured all-round development of tribal people. We are committed to the welfare of all citizens, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or community," she said. The day is observed each year to promote and protect the rights of the worlds indigenous population.

Dalai Lama calls for shunning Shia-Sunni conflicts

Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama today appealed to Muslims in India to make efforts to reduce Shia-Sunni conflicts that are prevalent in some other countries and asserted that Islam is a religion of peace. He lamented the bloodshed over denominational differences, which he said should be avoided as Islam teaches compassion and harmony. Addressing an event at the Goa Institute of Management, the 14th Dalai Lama stressed the need for international brotherhood and harmony. "We are part of the world of seven billion human beings. Sometimes, I suggested that the Indian community in America, England and different European countries should invite some Europeans during Diwali and New Year, and talk about 'ahimsa' (non-violence) which is the basis of religious tolerance," he said. Sunni and Shia are two major denominations of Islam. They chose sides after death of Islamic prophet Muhammad in AD 632. "Muslims across the globe follow the same Quran and also pray five times a day. However, ...

Construction of grand Ram temple begins in Thailand's 'Ayutthaya'

After an elaborate 'bhumi poojan' ceremony, the construction of a 'grand Ram temple' was begun today by the Ram Janmabhumi Nirman Nyas Trust in Ayutthaya in Thailand, a senior functionary of the organisation said. The temple would help spread the message of Lord Ram outside India, he said. "After performing rituals of bhumi poojan, the construction of a grand Ram temple has been started in Ayutthaya. As there is delay in the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya with the matter pending in the Supreme Court, we, the devotees of Ram, have started construction of a temple here," Ram Janmabhumi Nirman Nyas Trust president Mahant Janmejay Sharan told PTI over the phone from Bangkok. We expect the the decision of the apex court will come soon in our favour and we will start the construction of the temple in Ayodhya, Sharan said. This temple (in Ayutthaya) will pave way for the temple in our own Ayodhya, he added. I expect the construction in Ayodhya will start before Kumbh-2019, Sharan ...

For God or party? China's Christians face test of faith

The 62-year-old Chinese shopkeeper had waited nearly his entire adult life to see his dream of building a church come true a brick house with a sunny courtyard and spacious hall with room for 200 believers. But in March, about a dozen police officers and local officials suddenly showed up at the church on his property and made the frightened congregants disperse. They ordered that the cross, a painting of the Last Supper and Bible verse calligraphy be taken down. And they demanded that all services stop until each person, along with the church itself, was registered with the government, said the shopkeeper, Guo. Without warning, Guo and his neighbors in China's Christian heartland province of Henan had found themselves on the front lines of an ambitious new effort by the officially atheist ruling Communist Party to dictate and in some cases displace the practice of faith in the country. "I've always prayed for our country's leaders, for our country to get stronger," said Guo, who ..

Prez offers prayers at Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple

President Ram Nath Kovind today offered prayers at the Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple along with his family members. The dignitary was received with 'Purna Kumbham', the temple sources said. Clad in a 'kasavu mundu', the traditional Kerala attire, Kovind spent about half-an-hour at the shrine. He gave ghee as offering to Lord Krishna, they said. Governor P Sathasivam also accompanied the president to the shrine. There was heavy security at the temple complex during the Kovind's visit. The Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple is one of the most significant Vaishnava temples in south India. 'Purna Kumbham' literally means a full vessel and symbolically it is a sign of plenty.

Education must teach us to help fellow humans: President Kovind

President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday said the real value of education lies not in passing examinations and achieving degrees, but in how one learns to help fellow human beings.

Kerala's Christian community is pride of India: Prez

President Ram Nath Kovind today lavished praise on the Christian community in Kerala, saying it was a symbol of India's non negotiable commitment to diversity and pluralism. Inaugurating the centenary celebrations of St Thomas College here, today, Kovind said the community's heritage and history was a matter of "immense pride" for the country. "The Christian community in Kerala is one of the oldest not only in India but anywhere else in the world," the president noted. Kovind said the real value of education lies in how we learn to help fellow human beings and not in degrees. The greatest service to God is to help another person, to heal another person and to spread the light of knowledge and St Thomas' has been part of this noble culture, he said. Last year during his visit to Ethiopia, President said he was moved as people there remembered the services of Indian teachers, many of them from Kerala and from the community, who had educated generations of Ethiopian children. The college