Page 14 - Religion Belief

Moradabad: Bajrang Dal workers stall event, allege religious conversion

Bajrang Dal workers on Sunday stalled a Christian event and handed over its organisers to police levying accusations of religious conversion on them.Speaking to ANI, one of the Bajrang Dal workers said, "We learned that in Kamal Barat Ghar near Jhanjhanpur police station a convention was being organised by some Christian clerics. It has been happening for the last three months and every Sunday new women are lured into it. They are persuaded to adopt Christianity and are offered to convert for good health and money. We have caught them red-handed and have brought them to the police. We will also register a case."A woman was among the people rounded up and brought to the police station by the Bajrang Dal workers on complaints of religious conversion.The woman, however, refuted the allegations of conversion.Speaking to ANI, she said, "There is no such thing. We only gather at that place to pray. Most people who attend it are our relatives."A Balyan, the dial-100 in charge of the area ...

Telangana BJP MLA accuses Owaisi of 'financially supporting' terrorists

BJP leader T Raja Singh on Sunday accused the AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi of "financially supporting" the terrorists while asserting that BJP will win the Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 and which will mark the "end for Owaisi.""Asaduddin Owaisi is supporting terrorist financially and today in his constituency more than 7000 Muslims from different nations are living. People are against Owaisi in the old city because he has not done anything for the old city. We are sure that in 2024 BJP will win the Hyderabad Parliamentary seat and it will be the end for Owaisi," Raja Singh while talking to ANI.This comes after Minister of State for Home Affairs G Kishan Reddy sparked a controversy by saying, "wherever in the county, a terrorist attack happens, its roots are found in Hyderabad." He also called Hyderabad a terror safe zone.Reacting to Reddy's statement, Owaisi had said, "He has spoken in a disgraceful manner even before taking charge. Talking like this in an irresponsible ...

Shahrukh, Salman, Katrina arrive at Baba Siddique's Iftar party

A host of celebrities, including Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Urmila Matondkar, attended the Iftar party thrown by Indian politician Baba.Baba Siddique's iftar party always hits the headlines and this year's was no different. The event was attended by a host of biggies from B-Town and Television industry, and leading politicians, including Nawab Malik, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) spokesperson, and Mumbai NCP president Sachin Ahir.In 2013 Siddique's Iftar Party made headlines, when Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, reportedly, ended their 5-year-long cold war and decided to shake hands at one such party.This year, from the Bollywood industry, Aparshakti Khurana, Ravina Tandon, Madhur Bhandarkar, Abbas and Mustan Burmawalla, Aditya Pancholi, Sohail Khan, Ayush Sharma, Arbaaz Khan, Nushrat Bharucha, and Chunky Pandey graced the Iftar party.Television celebrities including Sanjeeda Sheikh and husband Aamir Ali, Kiku Sharda, Sumona Chakravarti, Karishma Tanna, Rashami ...

Pope apologises to Roma for Catholic Church's 'discrimination'

Pope Francis apologised to the Roma people on Sunday for the Roman Catholic Church's "discrimination" against them as he wrapped up a visit to Romania. Making up around 10 per cent of Romania's 20 million people, many Roma are marginalised and live in poverty and have suffered centuries of discrimination and insults. "I ask forgiveness - in the name of the Church and of the Lord - and I ask forgiveness of you. For all those times in history when we have discriminated, mistreated or looked askance at you," the pope said in a speech to the Roma community in the central town of Blaj. "My heart, however, is heavy. It is weighed down by the many experiences of discrimination, segregation and mistreatment experienced by your communities. History tells us that Christians too, including Catholics, are not strangers to such evil," he said. "Indifference breeds prejudices and fosters anger and resentment. How many times do we judge rashly, with words that sting, with attitudes that sow hatred ..

Jordan, Palestinians condemn 'provocation' as Israelis enter Al Aqsa Mosque to mark 'Jerusalem Day' anniversary

Jordanian and Palestinian authorities on Sunday slammed Israel for allowing Jews into the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in the capital's Old City -- in the holy month of Ramadan.It was the first time in the past three decades when non-Muslims entered the site during the final days of Ramadan, which coincided this year with the 52nd anniversary of the 'Jerusalem Day', when Israelis celebrate the anniversary of their occupation of East Jerusalem at the end of the six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967, The Times of Israel reported.Police said that after the decision was made to let the Israelis enter in on early Sunday morning, Palestinians inside the compound started a riot "that included hurling of stones, chairs and various objects.Subsequently, Jerusalem District Commander Major General Doron Yadid ordered police forces to enter the Temple Mount and deal with the rioters."Al-Aqsa Mosque, located in the Old City of Jerusalem, is the third holiest site in Islam. The mosque was built on top of the

BJP mixing religion, politics through 'Jai Sri Ram' slogan: Mamata

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday alleged that the BJP was mixing religion with politics by repeatedly using the 'Jai Sri Ram' phrase. "Jai Sia Ram, Jai Ram ji ki, Ram naam Satya hai etc have religious and social connotations. We respect these sentiments. But BJP is using religious slogan Jai Sri Ram as their party slogan in a misconceived manner by way of mixing religion with politics (sic)," she said in a Facebook post. Banerjee said she had no problem regarding any particular slogan being used in political rallies or events of a party. "We do not respect this forcible enforcement of political slogans on others...," she said. The Trinamool Congress supremo also said attempts were being made to propagate the ideology of hatred, which should be opposed. "This is a deliberate attempt to sell hatred ideology through vandalism and violence, which we must oppose together," Banerjee wrote. The chief minister has lost her cool twice in the past few weeks over people ...

Uttarakhand: BJP library gets Quran, Bible apart from Hindu scriptures

In order to promote religious harmony among party workers and portray its secular image, the library located at the BJP office here houses Holy Quran and Bible apart from Vedas, Ramayan, Bhagawat Gita, Hanuman Chalisa and other revered Hindu scriptures."The library was inaugurated in 2017 by the BJP president Amit Shah and state BJP president Ajay Bhatt. Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat decided to keep Quran and Bible for the BJP workers and people who visit the library to read," said Shadab Shams, BJP spokesperson."The BJP respects the feelings of all its workers including Hindu, Muslim, Christians or Sikhs, hence all type of literature is made available here," he added.The library houses a variety of literature that includes books on culture, history, geography, social sciences, communism, eminent personalities, spiritualism, and religion."Our workers and anybody who uses the library can do a comparative study of all religions and broaden his or her knowledge base. The library ..

Union Minister Ashwani Kumar Choubey visits Balaji temple in Tirumala

Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Sunday visited Balaji temple in Tirumala where he offered prayers thanking the almighty for BJP's victory in the Lok Sabha polls.Speaking to ANI, Choubey said: "We have come to pray to God for the blessing we got in the form of victory for BJP in the Lok Sabha polls.""I pray to God for the welfare of people. I pray to God to give us the strength to work for the people under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said.The veteran BJP leader said, "I pray to lord to give our Prime Minister the strength to lead India as a world power."Choubey was retained as the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare in the new Modi government.He won from Bihar's Buxar in the recently concluded national polls.Prime Minister Modi will visit the same temple on June 9.

Guruvayur temple awaits Modi, 'goshalas' and rail link on agenda

Authorities at the famed Sree Krishna Guruvayur temple will seek help to modernize its 'goshalas' (cow shelters) and put the shrine on the railway map when Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes visiting on June 8.

Pope to beatify 7 Romanian martyrs in deeply symbolic Mass

Pope Francis paid homage Sunday to Catholics who were persecuted, tortured and killed during Romania's communist regime by presiding over the beatification of seven bishop martyrs on his third and final day in the country. Francis presided over the eastern rite beatification Mass Sunday in Blaj, a stronghold of the Greek-Catholic Church that was outlawed during communism. The seven bishops had been arrested and imprisoned between 1950 and 1970 for adhering to their faith. Francis is expected to hold them up as models for the Romanian faithful today. Sunday's Mass marked the first time that Francis has ever presided over an eastern rite liturgy as pope, the Vatican said. The Mass is being celebrated on the symbolic "Field of Liberty," a huge expanse east of Blaj that was the site of an important nationalist rally in 1848. A century later, communist leaders marking the anniversary at the field demanded that Greek-Catholics join the Orthodox church. Many refused, and thousands of priests

Clashes erupt at flashpoint Jerusalem holy site

Palestinian worshippers clashed with Israeli police at a highly sensitive Jerusalem holy site on Sunday as an Israeli holiday coincided with the final days of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Muslim worshippers at the Al-Aqsa mosque compound were angered over Jewish visits to the site holy to both religions. According to police, protesters barricaded themselves in the mosque, from where they threw chairs and stones at forces who "dispersed" them. The Muslim Waqf organisation which oversees the site said police used rubber bullets and pepper spray, adding that two people were arrested. After the clashes, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said calm had returned and visits were continuing. The incident took place as Israelis marked Jerusalem Day, which commemorates the country's capture of the city's mainly Palestinian eastern sector in the 1967 Six-Day War. This year's holiday coincided with the final days of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. The Al-Aqsa compound, known to Jews as ..

Muslims got their share during partition, says Maharashtra BJP leader

Maharashtra BJP leader Madhav Bhandari on Sunday said that Muslims were given their share in 1947, a reference to the partition of the country and formation of Pakistan.Responding to AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's statement that Muslims are not tenants in India, Bhandari said, "It would be good if Owaisi Sahab speaks before due consideration. No one has called him a tenant. But if he talks about the share, it was given to them (Muslims) in 1947. Now, the matter is over."Addressing a gathering on Friday in Hyderabad, Owaisi had said that Muslims were not tenants in India and that they cannot be denied the rights guaranteed to them by the Constitution."We have to keep India prosperous, we will keep India prosperous. We (Muslims) are equal residents and not tenants. We are equal stakeholders here," he had said.The Hyderabad parliamentarian had also said that Muslims need not worry after Modi's return to power at the Centre as the Constitution guarantees every citizen's rights.

Shab-e-Qadar, night of power and blessings, observed in Kashmir

Shab-e-Qadar, the night of power and blessings, was observed across Kashmir valley with religious fervour as the historic Jamia Masjid in the summer capital here witnessed the largest congregation of devotees. As part of the festivities, Muslims thronged mosques and shrines across the valley Saturday night for prayers and recitation of the Quran as the Muslim fasting month of Ramadhaan is about to end. Along with the Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta area of the city, scores of devout Muslims gathered at Hazratbal, Dast-e-Geer Sahib and Sayed Yaqoob Shah shrines. Muslims across the world perform night-long prayers on the 26th night of Ramzan to celebrate the first revelation of Holy Quran to Prophet Mohammad. Preachers and religious scholars highlighted the teachings of Islam and various aspects of the life of the Prophet and urged Muslims to follow the same.

J-K: Indian Army hosts Iftar

Setting an example of communal harmony, the Indian Army on Saturday hosted Iftar here to celebrate the holy month of Ramzan.Speaking to ANI, an attendee Jaffer Bashir said: "On this pious occasion, district officers, local civil members and various other prominent people cutting across the religious lines gathered at the Army headquarters to relish the Iftar dinner. This sends a strong message across the country that the Army is not only there to impose law and order in the state, but also to spread goodwill among the people of different communities."People also offered prayers before sitting down in long rows to savour the meal.Another guest Mohammad Abdula Bhatt echoed the similar sentiment and said: "The function organised by the Army is a step towards uniting different communities. We, wholeheartedly, welcome such initiatives."During this month, the devout observe rigorous fasting for about 30 days and do not consume food or water from dawn to dusk. They eat Sehri (a pre-dawn ...

Pro-Palestine march in Germany amidst anti-Semitism concerns

Against the backdrop of growing concerns over the rise in anti-semitic crimes in Germany, an estimated 2000 pro-Palestinian protesters on Saturday (local time) marched through the streets of Berlin as part of the annual al-Quds Day.According to a report by DW news agency, protestors raised slogans of "Child murderer Israel" and " "Zionism is racism," and carried placards that read "Free Gaza" and "Palestine will be reborn!"The rally holds significance as it reflects the ongoing debates within Germany around anti-semitism. In a recent interview to CNN, the country's chancellor Angela Merkel acknowledged that the issue continues to be a problem even seven decades after the end of Holocaust, in which more than six million Jews lost their lives."We have always had a certain amount of antisemites among us," said Merkel. "Unfortunately there is to this day not a single synagogue, not a single daycare centre for Jewish children, not a single school for Jewish children that do not need to be .

Pope braves rain-soaked mountain roads for Transylvania Mass

Pope Francis braved a rain-soaked, twisting drive through the mountains of Transylvania on Saturday to visit Romania's most famous shrine, urging Romanian and ethnic Hungarian faithful to work together for their future. Storms forced Francis to change his travel plans and add in a three-hour car ride through the Carpathian mountains that he had planned to traverse via helicopter. The steady rains doused the estimated 80,000-100,000 people who gathered for the Mass at the Sumuleu Ciuc shrine, which is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The showers let up as Francis arrived and he made a quick run through the poncho-clad crowds in his popemobile. But the 82-year-old seemed unsteady after the long trip and held onto the arms of aides as he negotiated a mud-slicked path to get to the altar for Mass. In his homily, Francis praised the multicultural and multilingual tapestry that makes up Romania and urged its people to put aside past divisions for the sake of "journeying together." The rights ..

Hinduism not blamed for LTTE bombings, then why link Islam to terrorism: Imran Khan

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday asserted that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism."No one ever blamed Hinduism for Tamil Tigers' bombings or Japanese religion when they blew up themselves on US ships. So why Islam is branded so?" Khan said during the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) summit in Makkah.He, however, asserted that "the Muslim world has not been able to powerfully convince the world that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism," adding that the OIC should clarify its 'propaganda' about Muslims.The OIC is an international organisation founded in 1969.One of its main aims is to preserve Islamic social and economic values and uphold international peace and security.But some critics say it lacks real engagement and solutions for Muslim countries in crisis even as it made progress socially and academically.

Modi to offer prayers at Guruvayur Temple on June 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will offer prayers at the famed Sri Krishna Temple in Kerala's Guruvayur on June 8. This will be Modi's first visit to the southern state after assuming office as prime minister for the second consecutive time. According to temple sources, the prime minister is expected to spend at least 45 minutes at the shrine, dedicated to Lord Krishna. "We have got confirmation that the prime minister will visit the shrine on June 8. According to the information received, he will reach the temple by noon and take part in 'uchapooja'," a senior Guruvayur Devaswom official told PTI. The official, however, said they do not have any information as to whether any other ministers would be accompanying Modi. BJP sources here told PTI that the prime minister would only to offer prayers at the shrine and no other official or party programmes were scheduled as of now. "The prime minister is expected to reach the state by 11.30 am and return by 4 pm the same day," the source told

Apna Dal will not merge with BJP

The Apna Dal will not merge with the BJP even if that means staying out of the Modi 2.0 government.

Muslims feel safe under Modi govt: Iqbal Ansari

Iqbal Ansari, the main litigant in the Babri Masjid dispute, on Saturday supported AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi over his "Muslims need not worry over Modi's return" statement and said that Muslims feel safe under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government."Whatever Asaduddin has said is right. Muslims are feeling safe under Narendra Modi's government. Muslims are able to freely practice their religion," Ansari said.He said that Muslims and the ruling party are in complete sync and accused the Opposition Congress of instilling fear in the minds of people of the community. "BJP is with Muslims and Muslims are with BJP. People from all religion are with BJP. No one would have imagined that BJP will have such a huge majority," the community leader stated.He said, "We Muslims want to work for the nation and will never like to defame nation or cause any harm."Ansari's views were echoed by Satyendra Das, the main priest of Ram temple, who said: "Our opponents have created a fear that Muslims .