Page 148 - Religion Belief
NGT issues notice to ISKCON on plea against 70-storey temple at Mathura
A plea seeking a stay on the construction of a 70-storey temple in Mathura by ISKCON led the National Green Tribunal today to seek response from the religious society and the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA). The plea alleged that construction of 'Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir' by ISKCON in the vicinity of Yamuna would harm the environment and also impact the ground water level in the area. A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel issued notices to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and CGWA while seeking their replies before July 31. The plea by environment enthusiast Manikesh Chaturvedi sought directions to halt the construction of temple, billed to be the tallest shrine in the world. "The proposed temple will have artificial water body around the boundary of the structure. This water is to be extracted from the ground which is likely to result in depletion of water level to the extent of the non-existence of the Yamuna riverbed," ...
Spiritual leader Dada Vaswani passes away
Spiritual leader Dada J P Vaswani, head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, died due to old age-related ailments today, a mission member said. He was 99. "He had been admitted to a private hospital in the city for the past few days and was discharged last night," the member said. Vaswani died in the mission premises this morning, she said. The mission was planning a grand celebration on his 100th birthday next month, she said. His mortal remains have been kept at the mission to enable people to pay their last respects. "The last journey of Dada J P Vaswani will start at 2 pm tomorrow and the last rites will be performed at the mission at 5 pm," a mission member UshaKarnani said. Veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani, a frequent visitor of the mission, is expected to attend Vaswani's last rites, she said. President Ram Nath Kovind, who had visited the mission in May to inaugurate the Sadhu Vaswani International School, condoled the spiritual leader's demise. "Sad to hear of the passing of .
President, PM mourn Sadhu Vaswani's death
President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi condoled the demise of Sindhi spiritual leader Sadhu J.P. Vaswani, who passed away in Pune on Thursday.
Kerala bishop accused of raping nun denies moving to Vatican
A Kerala bishop accused of sexually abusing a Catholic nun, once again denied the charges on Thursday and the reports of his moving to the Vatican.
Sindhi spiritual leader Dada Vaswani dead
Sadhu J.P. Vaswani, an eminent spiritual leader, philosopher, philanthropist of the Sindhi community, died here on Thursday following a brief illness, an official spokesperson said.
Spiritual leader Dada Vaswani dead
Spiritual leader Dada J P Vaswani, head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission, died today due to old age- related ailments, a mission member said. He was 99. "He had been admitted to a private hospital in the city for the past a few days and was discharged last night," the mission member said. Vaswami died in the mission premises this morning, she said. The mission was planning a big celebration on his 100th birthday next month, she added. Born on August 2, 1918 in Pakistan's Hyderabad city in a Sindhi family, Dada Vaswani, as he was popularly known, was the head of the Pune-based Sadhu Vaswani Mission, a non-profit organisation involved in social work and charity. The organisation runs educational institutions and hospitals in the city. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had addressed the spiritual leader's 99th birthday celebrations last year through a video link. Modi had then said Vaswani's blessings will help in accomplishing goals for a new India. In May this year, President Ram Nath Kovind ...
Ayodhya: Police conduct verification of saints, residents in city
In order to keep a tap on the growing number of culprits, hiding in and around Ayodhya city dressed as saints, the district administration of Uttar Pradesh's Faizabad is conducting a verification process of all the citizens residing in the area.The saints of various prestigious temples in Ayodhya are happy with the move and said that the police needs to punish those who are demolishing their image in the society."It's true that many times people, who are guilty of various heinous crimes, come to Ayodhya and start living like saints. Police has earlier also done investigation on the same. It's a good job as there are few people who damage the image of saints. After finding such people the police should take strict actions against them. People come here all parts of India. Even there are people from Nepal," Acharya Satyendra Das of Ramjanmabhoomi Temple told ANI.The saints believe that the district administration's move will create panic in the minds of "fake saints.""We are really ...
Ashes of Japan sarin attack cult guru to be scattered at sea
The cremated remains of the executed guru of the Japanese doomsday cult behind a deadly 1995 sarin gas attack will be scattered at sea to avoid creating a pilgrimage site for his followers, media today reported. The lawyer representing the youngest daughter of Shoko Asahara, the charismatic leader of the Aum Shinrikyo sect, announced the plan a day after she agreed to collect his ashes. The plan comes amid reports of a battle between other members of Ashara's family, including his wife, for his remains. His wife and several other children remain in an Aum successor cult. Asahara's youngest daughter, whose name has not been made public, is the only one of his children to break with it. "(Asahara's) ashes bear grave importance to his followers," said lawyer Taro Takimoto, according to Kyodo News. Takimoto and the daughter have agreed that it is best to scatter Asahara's remains in the Pacific Ocean to avoid creating any "holy land" for his followers, he said. The lawyer also urged the ..
Living a double life: Indonesia's atheists fear jail or worse
As a university student, Luna Atmowijoyo prayed five times a day, refused to shake hands with men who weren't relatives and was "more fundamentalist" than her pious Muslim parents. But a decade later, Atmowijoyo has turned her back on Islam and is among a small number of atheists in Indonesia who live in fear of jail or violent reprisals from religious hardliners. Leading a double life -- devout Muslim on the outside, non-believer on the inside -- is often the only choice for atheists in the world's biggest Muslim majority country. Atmowijoyo, who lives with her parents, still wears an Islamic headscarf to escape the wrath of an abusive father who knows nothing of his daughter's change of heart, which started when she was told to avoid friendships with non-Muslims. "A lot of simple things started to bother me," said the 30-year-old, who asked AFP not to use her real name. "Like I couldn't say Merry Christmas or Happy Waisak to people of other religions," she added, referring to a ...
Kerala police to DGCA: bar rape-accused Bishop from fleeing India
The Kerala Police has urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to bar Bishop Fr Franco Mullackal, who has been accused of raping a nun, from leaving the country.The communication has been made after reports emerged that the Bishop is planning to flee India in the coming days.Father Mullackal, the Bishop of Jalandhar diocese, has been accused of raping and having unnatural sex multiple times with a nun in a small region here between 2014 and 2016.While narrating her ordeal to the district police chief, the nun said that she was raped around 13 times over a span of two years.She had first filed a complaint with Syro-Malabar Church head Cardinal George Alancherry but claimed that he refused to take any stringent action on the matter.The Kerala Police is yet to take any call on the arrest and the proceedings in the matter.
Modi 3rd most followed world leader after Trump and Pope: Study
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the third most followed world leader after US President Trump and Pope Francis, with 42 million followers on his personal account and 26 million followers on his institutional account, a global study said today. "Over the past 12 months, @realDonaldTrump has achieved 264 million interactions, more than five times as many as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with 52 million interactions, and 12 times as many as Pope Francis," said Twiplomacy, a digital platform which assists international organisations and governments to improve their digital strategy. The latest 'Twiplomacy' study by communications firm Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW) identified 951 Twitter accounts 372 personal and 579 institutional accounts of heads of state and government and foreign ministers of 187 countries. "Prime Minister @NarendraModi is the third-most followed world leader with 42 million followers on his personal account and 26 million followers on his institutional ...
PM Modi 3rd most followed world leader after Trump and Pope Francis: Study
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the third most followed world leader after US President Trump and Pope Francis, with 42 million followers on his personal account and 26 million followers on his institutional account, a global study said today. "Over the past 12 months, @realDonaldTrump has achieved 264 million interactions, more than five times as many as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with 52 million interactions, and 12 times as many as Pope Francis," said Twiplomacy, a digital platform which assists international organisations and governments to improve their digital strategy. The latest 'Twiplomacy' study by communications firm Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW) identified 951 Twitter accounts 372 personal and 579 institutional accounts of heads of state and government and foreign ministers of 187 countries. "Prime Minister @NarendraModi is the third-most followed world leader with 42 million followers on his personal account and 26 million followers on his institutional ...
J&K Governor meets Dalai Lama in Leh
Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra on Tuesday met Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama who is currently visiting the state's Ladakh region, an official statement said.
Akhara Parishad seers to take part in Ahd rathyatra on July 14
The 141st edition of rathyatra or chariot festival of Ahmedabad will be celebrated on a grand scale this year with seers of the Akhara Parishad scheduled to take part in the religious and cultural extravaganza for the first time. Since Ahmedabad city was declared as the 'World Heritage City' by the UNESCO last year, several tableaux devoted to that theme will be a major attraction of the procession that will be taken out from the Lord Jagannath temple in Jamalpur area of the city on July 14. The Ahmedabad Rath Yatra is known to be the third largest in the world. "This year's procession would comprise 18 decorated elephants, 101 trucks carrying tableaux, 30 religious congregations, 18 singing troupes, and three aesthetically decked chariots of Lord Jagannath, his brother Balram and sister Subhadra," Lord Jagannath Temple Trust trustee Mahendra Jha told reporters here today. He said Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad (ABAP) president Mahant Narendra Giri is among the ...
Delhi archdiocese rejects claims by Kerala nun's family
The Delhi archdiocese has rejected the claims by family of a Kerala nun that she had informed Archbishop Anil Couto about her alleged abuse by a bishop of Jalandhar diocese. "I do not know anything about it and the archbishop also does not know anything," Susai Sebastian, vicar general of archdiocese of Delhi, said. According to media reports, kin of the nun claimed that she had told Delhi Archbishop Anil Couto regarding the alleged abuse during his Kerala visit in May this year. Jalandhar diocese falls under Delhi archdiocese. "Anyone can claim (anything)," Sebastian said when asked about the claims of the nun's family. Archbishop Couto was not available for comments. The vicar general said the archbishop was out of Delhi and would be back by the weekend. In her complaint to Kottayam District Police chief, the nun has charged the bishop of the Jalandhar diocese of Roman Catholic Church with rape and unnatural sex multiple times at a small town near Kottayam in Kerala between 2014 ..
Trump doubles up as most followed world leader on Twitter: Study
US President Donald Trump is by far the most followed world leader on Twitter, with the Pope trailing him by some 4.5 million followers, a study showed today. The number of Trump's followers has "more than doubled since taking office", the study authors said. With more than 52 million followers, the @realDonaldTrump account also counts nearly 10 million more followers than third-place holder, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to the latest "Twiplomacy" study by communications firm Burson Cohn & Wolfe (BCW). In terms of interactions with followers -- in the form of likes and retweets -- Trump's lead is even more impressive, the study showed. Over the past 12 months, the US president has had nearly 264.5 million interactions with his followers -- more than five times more than runner-up Modi, and 12 times as many as Pope Francis, in third place. However, in terms of retweets alone, Saudi Arabia's King Salman easily dwarfs Trump. Salman only tweeted 11 times between May .
Martin Luther letter critical of Jews is up for auction
A letter written nearly 500 years ago by Martin Luther in which he refers to Jews as "devils incarnate" during a tirade against a former ally is up for auction, but Luther scholars warn that the man responsible for the Reformation should not be called anti-Semitic. The single-page letter, with writing on both sides, is expected to sell for at least $300,000 at the auction being conducted by Boston-based RR Auction that concludes Wednesday. "Martin Luther items don't come to auction often, and this is in incredibly great shape for a 500-year-old letter," said Robert Livingston, RR's executive vice president. The letter was written around September 1543 to a top official at Berlin's St. Nicholas Church in response to a letter from the official requesting Luther's interpretation of some Biblical verses by which former Luther friend Johann Agricola justified his positive treatment of Jews in what is now Germany. In his reply, Luther tells Georg Buchholzer that he has done well to preach ..
Shetty controversy: Sena accuses BJP of Christian appeasement
The Shiv Sena today accused the BJP of trying to appease Christians ahead of the 2019 polls by "making" party MP Gopal Shetty apologise over his purported remarks that members of the community didn't participate in the country's freedom struggle. In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana, the Sena said the BJP has turned "secular" from a party championing the cause of Hindutva "for political gains". A controversy had erupted last week after a video clip purportedly showed the Mumbai North MP saying that Christians were "angrez" (British) and allegedly did not participate in the freedom struggle of the country. Shetty had reportedly offered to resign in the wake of his comments, but the BJP had persuaded him against doing so. The Shiv Sena cited Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis' reaching out to churches and missionaries in Vasai to ensure that BJP won the Palghar Lok Sabha bypoll held in May this year. Recalling the death of Australian missionary Graham Staines, who was
Can't quote religious practices for female genital mutilation: SC
Dubbing female genital mutilation as violative of bodily integrity of a girl child, the Supreme Court on Monday said that religious practices cannot be cited to justify such mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community.
Gujarat's Jewish community gets religious minority status
The Gujarat government has granted religious minority status to the Jewish community in the state. The GR to this effect was issued on July 6 by the state's Department of Social Justice and Empowerment. "After careful consideration, (the) Gujarat state government hereby resolves to accord religious minority community status to the Jew community living in Gujarat," the GR read. "As religious minority members professing the faith of Judaism, they shall get the religious minority rights envisaged in the Constitution and various acts and rules of the state government," it stated. "They shall get benefits of welfare schemes formulated for religious minority communities within the jurisdiction of Gujarat," the GR said. The GR stated that the Jewish community had made a representation to the state government for minority status. "Gujarat has a small Jewish community with no more than 170 members, a majority of them located in Ahmedabad," Aviv Divekar, secretary of Ahmedabad's ..