Page 188 - Religion Belief
SC rejects review plea repair of shrines damaged in Guj riots
The Supreme Court has dismissed a plea seeking review of its August last year judgement which had set aside the Gujarat High Court's 2012 verdict asking the state government to grant compensation for restoration of religious places damaged during the 2002 post-Godhra riots. A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justice R K Agrawal said there was no merit in the plea seeking review of the August 29 last year verdict of the apex court. "The present review petition has been filed seeking review of judgment dated August 29, 2017...Having carefully gone through the review petition and the papers annexed therewith, we do not find any merit in the same," the bench said. In its August last year's judgement, the apex court had accepted the scheme formulated by the state government to provide "ex-gratia assistance" of up to Rs 50,000 to all religious places, including mosques and temples, which were damaged or destroyed during the communal riots, on par with the relief granted for ...
English edition of Pope Francis book coming in August
The English-language edition of Pope Francis' latest book is coming out this summer. St. Martin's Press told The Associated Press today that "A Future of Faith: The Path of Change in Politics and Society" will be published August 7 in the US and the UK. "A Future of Faith" is based on 12 talks Pope Francis had with Dominique Wolton, a French sociologist. In the book, published in France last fall, Pope Francis disclosed that when he was 42 he had sessions weekly with a psychoanalyst who was female and Jewish to "clarify some things." He also discussed his views on everything from divorce to ecology. Pope Francis' other books include "Happiness in This Life" and "The Name of God Is Mercy.
Rajasthan CM worships at temples
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje today worshipped at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here. After worship, Raje was presented with holy laddu prasadams, temple sources told PTI. She also worshipped at the nearby temples of Sri Padmavathi and Lord Shiva.
London mosques get listed status celebrating Muslim heritage
Two London mosques were given special listed status today in recognition of their architectural and historic importance, in a move a government minister said celebrated "the rich heritage of Muslim communities in England". The London Central Mosque and Islamic Cultural Centre in Regent's Park, central London, and the Fazl Mosque in the southwest of the British capital were both listed as Grade II buildings by the government's culture department. The special Grade II status is awarded to just 5.8 percent of approximately 500,000 listed buildings in England, marking them out as particularly important sites and giving them greater protection. "By listing these beautiful mosques, we are not only preserving important places of worship, but also celebrating the rich heritage of Muslim communities in England," said Heritage Minister Michael Ellis. A fund to establish a central London mosque was set up in 1910, but the Regent's Park location was only secured in the 1940s and building work was
Rajasthan CM arrives in Tirupati
Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje arrived here tonight to offer prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala. After an overnight stay on the hills, Raje would offer prayers tomorrow morning, temple sources said. Earlier, she arrived at Renigunta airport from Jaipur and reached Tirumala by road. Before leaving for Chennai, Raje would visit the Sri Padmavathi temple at Tiruchanur near here,they added.
Indian-origin archdeacon appointed Bishop of Bradwell in UK
An Indian-origin archdeacon in the UK has been appointed as area Bishop of Bradwell in the Church of England's Diocese of Chelmsford. John Perumbalath, a former priest in the united Church of North India's Diocese of Calcutta, was nominated by the Queen as the sixth Bishop of Bradwell, the British Home ministry said. He succeeds late Bishop John Wraw, who passed away in July, 2017 after serving as Bishop since 2012. Perumbalath, 52, has been archdeacon of Barking in the Diocese of Chelmsford since 2013. Perumbalath hails from the ancient Syrian Christian community in Kerala and trained for ministry at Union Biblical Seminary in Pune. Before his ordination, he worked as a youth worker among university students for two years and as a theological educator for three years. He was a parish priest in the diocese of Calcutta (Church of North India) from 1995 to 2001. He served on the General Synod of CNI and on its Theological Commission. Perumbalath said, "I am humbled and honoured to have .
Lingayat row: RSS against separate religion tag
The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday said that the Lingayat's cannot be given a separate religion tag.RSS General Secretary Suresh Bhaiyyaji Joshi while addressing a gathering said, "We don't agree to Lingayats' demand for being treated as a separate religion. Sects that have born in India have the same common base."Meanwhile, on Saturday, members of Jagatika Lingayata Mahasabha (JLM) launched an indefinite demonstration urging the State government to send its recommendations to the Centre demanding an independent religion status to Lingayatism.Lingayat can be considered as a religious minority in Karnataka.Lingayatism was founded by the 12th-century philosopher and statesman Basava and spread by his followers, called Sharanas. In the 21st century, some Lingayats have sought legal recognition as a religion distinct from Hinduism and Veerashaivas.
Saudi king orders setting up of anti-corruption units
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud on Sunday ordered the creation of specialised anti-corruption units in the public prosecution, the media reported.
Shoe hurled at Nawaz Sharif in Lahore mosque
A miscreant hurled a shoe at Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif when he was about to address a gathering at Jamia Naeemia's mosque, here on Sunday.According to the Dawn, Sharif went to Jamia Naeemia mosque marking the death anniversary of a cleric Mufti Mohammad Hussain Naeemi.This incident has added to the series of such attacks targeting various leaders across Pakistan in the recent days.However, the ousted prime minister went ahead with his address, although reportedly shortening his speech, only to thank the organisers and saying words of prayer for the deceased cleric.The accused was caught and later thrashed by the audience before handing him to the security agencies present at the venue.An investigation has been launched into this incident.Condemning the incident, opposition leader Sheikh Rashid termed it to be a complete collapse of intelligence and a result of 'overconfidence' shown by Sharif.He further advised Sharif to speak from behind a bullet-proof glass in ...
Nun involved in Katy Perry lawsuit drops dead in court
One of the nuns involved in a lawsuit filed against American singer-songwriter, Katy Perry, has died during a court appearance regarding the case.The lawsuit was filed by the deceased, Sister Catherine Rose Holzman, along with another nun, in regards of a sale of their 8-acre convent located in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles, according to The TMZ.The fight ensued after two people expressed interest in the property - the 33-year-old pop sensation and a restaurant owner named Dana Hollister.After the deal got messed up, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles and Perry sued Hollister, claiming Hollister's interference in foiling the deal.Following the complaint, a jury saw it Perry's way last December, paying the Catholic district and Perry 10 million US Dollars in DecemberThe 89-year-old nun was in court for a post-judgment hearing Friday when she died. Shortly before he collapsed and later died. She had said, "We asked [Hollister] to save us, to buy the property. She had ...
UNGA must take lead in setting global agenda: India
The UN General Assembly (UNGA) must take the lead in setting the global agenda and its primacy must be respected, India has affirmed.
Udupi pontiff expresses desire to jump into electoral politics
A pontiff of one of the 'Ashta (eight) Mathas' of Udupi today expressed his intention to enter electoral politics during the coming assembly polls in Karnataka, saying the system "is not right." "My intention is not politics. I have planned to contest as an independent candidate....the reason is the system here is not right, I want to contest with an intention that it should be right," Lakshmivara Tirtha Swamiji, pontiff of the Shiroor Matha, said. "I have seen the problems, no political entity has been able to correct it...," he told reporters at Hiriyadka in Udupi. The swamiji has expressed his intention to contest theelection from Udupi constituency as an independent candidate. However, if BJP gives him a ticket, he said "I willhappily accept it." "If they (BJP) don't give, I have decided to contest asan independent candidate," he added. Responding to a question, he said Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was his role model. Adityanath is the head priest of .
KCBC to help resolve crisis in Syro-Malabar Church
Kerala Catholic Bishops Council today stepped in to help resolve the crisis in Syro-Malabar Church after a group of priests came out openly against its head Cardinal George Alencherry over alleged irregularities in a land deal involving him. Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, also the Major Archbishop of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, andSoosa Pakiam,Archbishop of the Latin Rite Archdiocese of Thiruvananthapuram,held meetings with Alencherry, auxiliary bishops and agitating priests of the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese. Archbishop Soosa Pakiam, who is also the president of KCBC, hoped that the Synod of the Syro Malabar Church would use its authority to resolve all the issues. "The issues can be settled within the Church itself. We believe that the Synod of the Syro Malabar Church is taking sincere efforts to deal with it, he told reporters here after their meetings. He said other Churches, including Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and Latin Church were thinking in which way they
Call for Khalistan misguided, says UK-based Indian-origin businessman
A UK-based Indian-origin businessman has criticised what he called a handful of misguided and unelected Sikhs for claiming to speak on behalf of the wider Diaspora in making a demand for a "Kingdom of Khalistan".In a letter forwarded to the editor of the London-based The Asian Voice, Raminder Singh Ranger, 70, Founder of Sun Mark, an international marketing and distribution company, and Chairman of the British Sikh Association, said that he is sad to see the demand for Khalistan rearing its ugly head once again in the West, "where some Sikhs can make statements about Khalistan without realising the consequences or feeling the effects of their actions on the Sikh community in Punjab, India, and across the rest of the world."In his letter, he further states that, "It is disturbing to say the least when a handful of unelected Sikhs claim to speak for the wider Diaspora and demand a kingdom for themselves which the Sikh Gurus never did."He said that these self-proclaimed leaders acting as
RJD not BJP will build Ram temple: Tejpratap Yadav
Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader and former Minister in the Nitish Kumar government, Tej Pratap Yadav, in a speech at Nalanda on Friday, said it is the RJD and not the Bharatiya Janta Party(BJP) that will build the Ram temple at Ayodhya.Tej Pratap, son of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, said, "Ram temple at Ayodhya will be built by the Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, the most backward people, the poor, and Dalits. All these people will go to Ayodhya and build the Ram temple there brick by brick."He further said, "We will undertake the construction of the Ram temple and the day we will build the temple, the BJP-RSS combination will come to an end. That will be the day when they will run out of all agendas and will be left empty-handed".This is not the first time that Tej Pratap has taken on the BJP. Earlier he had allegedly threatened to skin Prime Minister Narendra Modi alive for downgrading his father's security cover from "Z+ to Z".
Islam preaches love and peace, not hatred: Ahle Hadees Hind
Members of the Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hind, in their national conference, denounced terrorism and asserted that Islam preaches peace and love of mankind. Islamic scholars from different parts of the country are attending the two-day conference of the outfit at Ramleela Grounds here. "Islam is a religion of peace. It is not a religion of hatred and terrorism. It not only propagates the safety of mankind, but also guarantees the safety of all the creatures, a statement from the organisation quoted Mufti of the Holy Mosque of Madina, Sheikh Ibrahim bin Ibrahim Al Turki as saying. "The greatest challenge of the present time is propagation of world peace and safety of mankind, said Asghar Ali Imam, head of Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hind. The youth should work as messengers of peace and should not be enticed by the anti-social elements, he said, adding that they should work for humanity and brotherhood.
SC quotes intellectuals in historic verdict on euthanasia
Thinkers, philosophers, writers, poets from ancient history to contemporary times as well as a popular Bollywood song were mentioned in the historic verdict delivered today by the Supreme Court recognising a terminally-ill patient's right to execute a "living will" to refuse medical treatment. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra in respective judgements referred to Indian philosophers like Swami Vivekananda and Charvaka as well as ancient Greek thinkers like Epicurus, Plato and Hippocrates while dealing with the issue of "smoothening" the process of dying for patients who are terminally ill or in a persistent vegetative state. Apart from philosophers, noted European poets and writers like William Shakespeare, Alfred Tennyson, John Locke, John Dryden, Leon Montenaeken, John Donne, Ernest Hemingway and Dylan Thomas also found mention in the apex court verdict which cited their works on life and death. The CJI in his judgement quoted Tennyson who in one of
Defer SC decision on Ram Temple till after LS poll in 2019: Owaisi
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi today demanded deferment of the Supreme Court's verdict on the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi title suit till after the Lok Sabha polls in 2019 as the issue will get "heavily politicised". Speaking during a panel discussion on 'Ayodhya: The Politics of Hate' at the India Today conclave here, Owaisi said the Ayodhya dispute was over land and had nothing to do with religious faith. "The Ram temple issue is a land title case. It has nothing to do with faith. It is about the rule of justice and secularism. Each one has to accept the Supreme Court's decision. However, the issue should not be decided before the parliamentary elections as it will be heavily politicised," Owaisi said. The discussion also involved Congress spokesperson Sanjay Nirupam and his BJP counterpart Sambit Patra. Nirupam, while slamming the BJP said the party was not interested in actually constructing the temple but only in politicising the issue. "I am 100 per cent sure the verdict will be
Declaration of faith compulsory before seeking public office: court
A Pakistani high court today ordered that anyone seeking public office should declare his religious belief, a verdict said to be a major victory for hardliners in the Muslim-majority country. Islamabad High Court (IHC) judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui announced the verdict in a case about controversial changes in the Khatm-i-Nabuwwat (finality of prophethood) oath in the Elections Act 2017. The judge ruled that it was compulsory for all Pakistanis to take an oath regarding their faith if they seek to join the civil service, the armed forces or the judiciary. "Citizens applying for jobs in state institutions must take an oath which ensures compliance with the definition of Muslim and non-Muslim provided in the Constitution," Justice Siddiqui said the short order. Siddiqui took up the case when a group of hardline clerics blocked a major highway leading to capital Islamabad in November last year to protest against the changes in the oath and ended the protest after government sacked law ...
Tangkhul Naga Community celebrates Seed Sowing Festival in metro cities
In order to spread the cultural diversity of northeast and to preserve the ancient traditions, the Tangkhul Naga ethnic group hosted a seed sowing festval 'Luira Phanit' here.In a bid to preserve and promote the ancient traditions, the Tangkhul community, living in metro cities like the national capital, came together to celebrate the festival. 'Luira Phanit' marks the beginning of the plantation season and invokes the Almighty's blessings for a bountiful crop yield."The turn-out is very good. And for the location, since we organized most of the events in south Delhi, so this time we wanted to organize in north Delhi so that we can invite people. And also there will be better participation from students' community since most of the students are based in north Delhi.", said Sorinthan Hoarei, President, Tangkhul Katamnao Long, DelhiHundreds from across New Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR) turned up for the celebrations during which several competitions were held, including ...