Page 20 - Religion Belief
Amarinder Singh promises memorial for Behbal Kalan firing victims
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday announced a memorial in or around Bargari for those who lost their lives in the police firing in Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura in 2015.Ridiculing BJP leader Parkash Singh Badal's claim of Bargari and other sacrilege cases being bygones, the Chief Minister said people never have, and never will forget the desecration of their holy scriptures, and the Shiromani Akali Dal supremo should be ashamed of even suggesting the same."How can anyone forget what happened during the rule of the Badal's? Not one or two but 58 Sri Guru Grant Sahibs were desecrated, not to count the Gutka Sahibs. Bhagwad Geeta, the Bible and the Quran were burnt or torn," he said at an election rally here."What happened in those months, including at Bargari, and the incidents of police firing on those protesting peacefully against sacrilege, right under the nose of Badal is not something that Punjab can ever forget," he said.The Chief Minister was addressing a public ...
Nita Ambani thanks Lord Ganesha for IPL win
Reliance Foundation Chairperson Nita Ambani on Wednesday offered thanksgiving prayers at the famed Siddhi Vinayak Temple here.
'Godse was a first Hindu extremist' remark: HC refuses to entertain PIL against Kamal Haasan
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday declined to entertain a PIL which referred to actor-cum-politician Kamal Haasan's remark about Mahatma Gandhi's assassin being a Hindu terrorist and had sought directions to the Election Commission (EC) to "restrict" misuse of religion for poll gains. A bench of Justices G S Sistani and Jyoti Singh said the cause of action for the PIL by BJP leader Ashwini Upadhyay was the remarks by Haasan which was made outside the jurisdiction of the high court here and therefore, it cannot hear it. The court, however, asked the EC to expeditiously decide Upadhyay's representation against Haasan's remark. The petition, filed by Upadhyay, has also sought debarring of candidates and deregistration of parties that "misuse" religion for electoral gains. Upadhyay, also a lawyer, has alleged that Haasan "deliberately" made the statement in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain. The petition contends that this was clearly a corrupt practice under the ...
Bangladesh Christian poet arrested over writing on priests
Police in southern Bangladesh arrested a prominent poet Tuesday after he was accused of hurting the religious feelings of the country's minority Christian community, police said. Henry Sawpon, a Christian himself, was detained in Barisal, south of the capital Dhaka, after a priest filed a case against him for a series of defamatory writings about the clergy. "He was arrested under the country's digital security law for hurting religious sentiments of the Christian community," Barisal Metropolitan Police commissioner Shahabuddin Khan told AFP. Sawpon, whose poems and rhymes are regularly published in leading Bangladesh newspapers and magazines, was sent to jail after a court rejected his bail application. Police said Sawpon had posted slanderous remarks against Barisal's Catholic fathers on his Facebook profile since 2016. He also accused the city's Bishop of embezzling funds. Days before his arrest, Sawpon told local media that two unidentified men entered his home after midnight and .
TN police file FIR against Kamal Haasan for remarks on Godse
The Tamil Nadu police Tuesday filed an FIR against actor-politician Kamal Haasan for his controversial "free India's first extremist was a Hindu" remarks referring to Nathuram Godse, as saffron organisations moved the courts in Delhi against the actor-politician. Makkal Needhi Maiyam and a Minister who wanted the actor's tongue to be chopped off for his remarks entered into a war of words, even as the MNM chief found support from Asaduddin Owaisi, the firebrand AIMIM leader. "The one who killed Mahatma Gandhi, whom we regard as Father of the Nation, what do we call him? We call him Mahatma or 'rakshas' (demon)?Call him terrorist or assassin?" he said. "If not calling the person who killed Bapu as terrorist, what else will you call him?" he told reporters at Hyderabad. Stoking a controversy, Haasan had said on Sunday that "free India's first extremist was a Hindu", referring to Nathuram Godse who killed Mahatma Gandhi. "I am not saying this because this is Muslim-dominated
PIL filed in Delhi HC against Haasan for Godse remark
A PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court on Tuesday seeking action against actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan over his recent statement terming Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse as the first Hindu terrorist of free India.
UK to take up Christian persecution in India
The UK government on Tuesday said that it would take up the issue of the alleged persecution of Christians in India, with a British minister pointing to a "worsening" of such cases in the country. During a scheduled session of oral questions for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in the House of Commons, UK Foreign Office minister Mark Field said the British government would raise all specific cases of such alleged religious persecution in India with its counterparts. "India of course is one of many countries where there has been an increased worsening in recent years and we will obviously at a consular level take up all the cases [of Christian persecution]," Field told the Commons. He was responding to a specific intervention by Scottish National Party MP David Linden, who raised the case of a group of Christians allegedly being beaten during a prayer meeting in India in early May and asked for government action over the escalating cases in the country. Earlier, UK foreign ...
Lord Ayyappa temple opens for five day monthly pooja
The famed Lord Ayyappa temple here opened for the five day monthly poojas this evening to mark the Malayalam month 'Idavam' . Chief priest V N Vasudevan Namboothiri opened the sanctum sanctorum of the hill shrine in the presence of 'tantri' Kandararu Rajeevaru. Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) President A Padmakumar, board member K P Sankardas, Sabarimala Special Commissioner and district judge Manoj were among those present when the temple was opened. A large number of Lord Ayyappa devotees climbed the sacred 18 steps and offered prayers on the initial day, a TDB release said. There was no special poojas on Tuesday and the shrine would witness customary pujas and rituals, including 'neyyabhishekam', 'kalabhabhishekam' and 'padi puja' in the coming days, the release added. After the five-day poojas, the shrine would be closed on May 19.
Vaghela condemns Dalit discrimination, urges societal harmony
NCP leader Shankersinh Vaghela Tuesday condemned recent incidents in Gujarat of Dalit wedding processions being stopped by some groups, saying such discrimination was a blot on Hinduism. He urged people as well as Hindu seers to take up a campaign to establish harmony among all castes and communities. "I condemn such acts of not allowing Dalits to take out wedding processions. This is blot on Hinduism. Law alone cannot deal with this. The entire society needs to come together to fight this evil and establish harmony," he said. "I urge Hindu seers and saints to focus on this issue and spread awareness among the masses in order to end this discrimination of Dalits," Vaghela told reporters here. He went on to warn that such discrimination would eventually force Dalits to leave Hinduism and convert to other religions. "Dalits also serve in our armed forces and protect our nation. But, when they visit their villages, they become subjects of discrimination for being a Dalit. ..
Gunmen kill four at Catholic parade in Burkina Faso: church
Gunmen killed four Catholics in a religious procession in north Burkina Faso a day after a priest and five parishioners were murdered at mass, church officials said Tuesday. The parade with a statue of the Virgin Mary was moving through the town of Ouahigouya on Monday when "a group of terrorists intercepted the procession, killing four worshippers and burning the statue," said a spokesman for the Ouagadougou Cathedral. According to the Burkina Faso news agency AIB, the assailants stopped the procession. "They let the minors go, executed four adults, and destroyed the statue," it quoted a local person as saying. Paul Ouedraogo, president of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger, told a meeting of bishops in the capital Ouagadougou the attack had claimed four lives. The killings came a day after a group of 20-30 armed men, according to witnesses, burst into the Catholic church in Dablo, also in the Nord Region of Burkina Faso, shooting dead five parishioners and their ...
Complaint filed against Kamal Haasan for 'Hindu terrorist' remark
A complaint was Tuesday filed before a court here seeking prosecution of actor-politician Kamal Haasan for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by terming Nathuram Godse, who had killed Mahatma Gandhi, a "Hindu terrorist". The matter is likely to be listed before a Metropolitan Magistrate on May 16. The complainant has sought Haasan's prosecution for alleged offences punishable under Indian Penal Code sections 153-A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, race, language etc) and 295-A (outrage religious feelings by insulting religion etc). The offences are punishable with imprisonment of three-year jail term or fine, or both. The complaint was filed by Vishnu Gupta who claimed to be the president of an organisation Hindu Sena. Haasan "deliberately and maliciously" made "absolutely derogatory comments to outrage religious feelings of Hindus by associating terrorism with the Hindu religion", he alleged. The comment was made with the sole intention "to promote
Report of European Parliament exposes worsening condition of minorities in Pakistan
The European Parliament here has released a report, highlighting the worsening situation of religious minorities in Pakistan, an Asian nation where Muslims are in dominance.The report titled "Religious Minorities in Pakistan" was compiled by the European Parliamentarians including Alberto Cirio, Fulvio Martusciello, Ryszard Czarnecki, Indrek Tarand and Heinz K Becker.The report aims at drawing the attention to the plight of religious minorities in Pakistan and the institutionalised discrimination against these groups.The report examined the nature of persecution faced by various religious minority groups apart from presenting some brief case studies on the oppression faced by women from these communities.The report said that the religious minority groups included Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and the Ahmadiyyas, and further cited real-life examples from these communities.It added that the Constitution of Pakistan only recognised Islam as the religion of the state. "The Constitution of ...
Criminal complaint filed in Delhi court against Kamal Hassan for 'hurting religious statements'
A criminal complaint was filed in a Delhi's Patiala House Court against actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan for allegedly "hurting religious sentiments of Hindus" by associating terrorism with Hindu religion in a speech in Tamil Nadu on May 12.The court is likely to hear the matter on May 16.The complainant Vishnu Gupta who claims to be a founding member of Hindu Sena said Haasan's remarks hurt religious sentiments and promoted enmity between Hindu and Muslims. Gupta also sought the accused to be summoned for the same.On May 12, Kamal Hassan, chief of political outfit Makkal Needhi Maiam while campaigning in Tamil Nadu's Aravakurichi assembly constituency had stirred a controversy by asserting that first terrorist in independent India was a Hindu, referring to Nathuram Godse, the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi."I am not saying this because many Muslims are here. I am saying this in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue. The first terrorist in independent India is a Hindu, his name is
PIL in HC against misuse of religion for electoral gain, refers to Haasan's remark
The controversial remarks of actor-cum-politician Kamal Haasan that Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse was a 'Hindu terrorist' were mentioned in a PIL before the Delhi High Court Tuesday seeking directions for the Election Commission to "restrict" misuse of religion for poll gains. The petition was mentioned before a bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice A J Bhambhani by BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay who has also sought debarring of candidates and deregistration of parties which misuse religion for electoral gain. The bench allowed the plea to be listed for hearing on Wednesday before an appropriate bench. Upadhyay, also a lawyer, alleged that Haasan "deliberately" made the statement in the presence of a Muslim majority crowd for electoral gain. The petition contends that this was "clearly a corrupt practice under the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1951. Haasan, the president of Makkal Needhi Maiam, had in an election rally speech termed Mahatma Gandhi's .
Australian political leaders agree gays don't go to hell
The leaders of both of Australia's major political parties agreed on Tuesday that gays don't go to hell because of their sexual orientation, as Christian beliefs rose to extraordinary prominence in the final days of an election campaign. Prime Minister Scott Morrison opposed gay marriage while opposition leader Bill Shorten argued for marriage equality ahead of a national vote in 2017 that led to Australia legally recognizing same-sex unions. Morrison, a Pentecostal Christian, accused Shorten, a Catholic before converting to his second wife's Anglican faith, of a "desperate, cheap shot" ahead of elections on Saturday by challenging the prime minister to say whether he believed gays went to hell. Morrison said he did not believe gays went to hell, after failing to directly answer the same question from a journalist a day earlier. "I'm not running for pope, I'm running for prime minister," Morrison told reporters. "So ... theological questions, you can leave at the door." Australian ...
Modi's appeal to voters in Varanasi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday made an emotional appeal to the people of Varanasi in a video posted on his website, calling himself a 'Kashi vaasi and outlining his personal and emotional association with Kashi and its people.
Ramzan is "very special": says Trump, condemns New Zealand, Sri Lanka terror attacks
Ramzan is a "very special" month during which people seek tolerance and peace, US President Donald Trump has said as he hosted an iftaar party at the White House and expressed grief over the gruesome terrorist attacks in New Zealand and Sri Lanka. Ramzan is a holy month for Muslims here in the US and all across the world, Trump said as he hosted his second Iftaar as President for eminent Muslim members from his administration and top diplomats from various countries on Monday night. "Ramadan is a time of charity, of giving, and service to our fellow citizens. Ramadan is a very special time. It's a time to draw closer as families, neighbours and communities," Trump said. "Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace. It is in this spirit that we come together tonight for Iftaar, the traditional Ramadan meal that breaks the daily fast," he said in his brief address in the State Dinning Room of the White House. During Ramzan, Muslims fast from sunrise
Trump hosts second iftar dinner at White House
US President Donald Trump has hosted his second annual iftar dinner at the White House and said it's "been a very rough time" for Muslims around the world.
Ramadan is when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance, peace: Trump
Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace, US President Donald Trump said Monday. Trump hosted an Iftaar dinner for eminent Muslim members from his administration and top diplomats from various countries at the White House on Monday night. Ramadan is a holy month for Muslims here in the US and all across the world, he said. During this month of worship, Muslims fast from sunrise to sundown and focus on prayer and spiritual life to deepen their devotion to god. "Ramadan is a time of charity, of giving, and service to our fellow citizens. Ramadan is a very special time. It's a time to draw closer as families, neighbours and communities," Trump said. "And Ramadan is a time when people join forces in pursuit of hope, tolerance and peace. It is in this spirit that we come together tonight for Iftaar, the traditional Ramadan meal that breaks the daily fast," he said in his brief address in the State Dinning Room of the White House. "This evening, our .
Modi washed feet of sanitation workers like Lord Krishna washed Sudama's: Yogi Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that he washed the feet of sanitation workers just like Lord Krishna washed the feet of his friend Sudama.Addressing four election rallies, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, said: "In Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj, Modi ji washed the feet of sanitation workers just like Lord Krishna washed the feet of Sudama."Listing the work under the reign of Prime Minister Modi, Adityanath said, "Whatever welfare scheme we have implemented so far, we did not discriminate people in the name of caste and religion. These were implemented in the interest of the poor."Mocking Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, Adityanath asked, "Will you elect those who stole water taps?"Taking a jibe at grand-alliance of SP, BSP and RLD, Adityanath said, "The elephant is riding on the bicycle, its tyres would get punctured."Appealing for votes in favour of BJP candidate from Gorakhpur, Ravi Kishan, the UP ...