Page 3 - Religion Belief

Secularism does not mean non-religious, but respect to all faiths: EAM

Secularism for India does not mean being non-religious but an equal respect to all faiths, but the appeasement government policies of the past made the biggest religion of the country feel like it had to be self-deprecatory in the name of equality, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has said. During an interaction entitled How a Billion People See the World' at the Royal Over-Seas League in London on Wednesday evening, Jaishankar was asked if India had changed since the Nehruvian era to become less liberal and more Hindu majoritarian under the BJP-led government. While asserting that India had certainly changed, Jaishankar was categorical that the change did not mean India being less liberal but rather more authentic about expressing its beliefs. Has India changed from the Nehruvian era? Absolutely, because one of the assumptions of that era which very much guided the thinking of the polity and its projection abroad was the way we define secularism in India, said Jaishankar, in

HC seeks Centre, Delhi govt view on PIL to distinguish religion from dharma

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the stand of the Centre and city government on a public interest litigation seeking a direction to the authorities to use the proper meaning of the term religion and not use it as a synonym of dharma in official documents. A bench headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma granted time to the governments to respond to the petition by lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay. The petition also sought a direction to include a chapter on "dharma and religion" in syllabus of primary and secondary schools in order to educate the masses and control the religion-based hatred and hate speeches. There is a colonial mindset which is being continued, said the petitioner before the bench, also comprising Justice Tushar Rao Gedela. In his petition, the petitioner asserted that dharma is not religion as the former is non-divisive, non-exclusive and transcends narrow boundaries of religion. If we try to define religion then we can say that religion is a tradition

'Best Tourism Village' crown for Bengal's hamlet where opposites mingle

A comparatively new immaculate red-and-white temple stands beside the ruins of a 1000-year-old shrine overtaken by nature. Muslims take active part in Hindu puja rituals. A temple roof is made combining Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu architectural styles. Welcome to Kiriteshwari village in Murshidabad district of West Bengal, which has recently been selected by the Centre's Ministry of Tourism as the Best Tourism Village of India. The village was named after the Kiriteshwari temple, one of the Shakti peeths'. Legend has it that the upper part of goddess Sati's skull had fallen here. Several other new temples and ruins of older shrines co-exist here. The village, also known as Kiritkona, located around 20 km from district headquarters Berhampur, is a sleepy hamlet with just a little more than 1,200 voters, whose main occupation is farming. The place is a classic example of communal harmony. Here, the temple committee has members from the Muslim community, and they participate actively

No quality education if student is penalised on ground of religion: SC

There cannot be any quality education if a student is sought to be penalised on the ground that he belongs to a particular community, the Supreme Court Monday said, as it pulled up the Uttar Pradesh government for shoddy probe in a case where a Muslim schoolboy was allegedly slapped by his classmates on the instruction of his teacher in Muzaffarnagar. Voicing displeasure over the incident, the top court directed the UP government to appoint a senior IPS officer within a week to probe the case. "The teacher asked the students to beat the victim because of his religion. What kind of education is being imparted?" it said. A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal, while directing that the IPS officer shall file a report in the apex court, asked the state government to conduct counselling of the victim and other students involved in the incident by professional counsellors. "There cannot be any quality education if a student is sought to be penalised on the ground that he belon

Disrespecting Sanatan Dharma against Constitution: Union Minister

Venugopal waded into the Sanatan row, saying that his party believes in 'Sarva Dharma Samabhava' (all religions are equal). "We respect all religions," he had said

A Raja likens Sanatan Dharma to HIV; BJP says reflects oppn's 'Hinduphobia'

"Let any number of Stalins come, they cannot eradicate Sanatan Dharma," Eknath Shinde said, talking to the media in Thane after attending Dahi Handi (Janmashtami) celebrations

Sanatana Dharma against social justice, must be stopped: Udhayanidhi Stalin

Alleging that Sanatana Dharma is against equality and social justice, DMK youth wing secretary and Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has said it should be eradicated. Likening Sanatana Dharma to coronavirus, malaria, fever caused by dengue virus and mosquitoe, he said such things should not be opposed but destroyed. Udhayanidhi referred to Sanatana Dharma as 'Sanatanam' in his address in Tamil at a meet of Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association here on Saturday. "What is Sanatanam? The very name is only from Sanskrit. Sanatan is against equality and social justice and nothing else." "What is the meaning of Sanatan? It is eternal, that is, it cannot be changed; no one could pose any question and that is the meaning." Sanatan divided people on the basis of caste, he alleged. The minister said everything should be changed and nothing is perpetual. The Communist movement and DMK were founded to question everything.

Rich or poor, there's a caste element in financial recovery after Covid-19

Religion and region have shaped how families are doing, data shows

Religious leaders can take lead in resolving global issues: Jain leader

Leaders from major world religions and faiths can play a significant role in resolving the major challenges like the Ukraine war currently being faced by humanity and bringing in lasting peace, an eminent Jain religious leader has said and advocated dialogue and diplomacy for resolving disputes. This is the message I am taking to Chicago, Acharya Lokesh Muni told PTI in an interview ahead of the 2023 Parliament of the World's Religions in Chicago from August 14 to 18. The event is being attended by about 10,000 religious leaders from 80 countries. He is one of the few world leaders who have been invited to speak during the plenary session. Time has come for the world leaders to prepare a roadmap for a peaceful and prosperous society and world, he said. Leaders from major world religions and faiths can play a significant role in resolving the major challenges currently being faced by humanity and bringing in lasting peace at a time of war in Ukraine, he said. Asserting that war, ..

Unhealthy practices done in name of religion are to be prevented: Kerala HC

The contention that animal sacrifice is an essential and integral part of one's religious belief and cannot be interfered with even if it causes nuisance to others, has to be rejected, the Kerala High Court has said. Hearing a writ petition against the inaction of the authorities to stop the illegal slaughter of birds and animals in the guise of ritualistic sacrifice at a private residence here, Justice V Arun said such unhealthy, unscientific and deleterious practices are to be prevented, even if it is done in the name of religion. The court, in an order issued on May 24, directed the Ernakulam district panchayat, the revenue divisional officer, Ernakulam Rural SP and other officials to stop the activities carried out in a structure, resembling a temple, constructed by a private person on the second floor of his residential building, after conducting a probe, at Edathala Grama panchayat near Aluva here. "Going by the precedents and on a proper understanding of the rights under ...

Missionaries take advantage when people lose faith in society: RSS chief

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat, in an apparent reference to religious conversions, said on Sunday that missionaries take advantage of the situations wherein people feel that the society is not with them. He was addressing an event here, where he dedicated to the people the samadhi of Govindnath Maharaj. "We don't see our own people. We don't go to them and ask them. But some missionary from thousands of miles away comes and lives there, eats their food, speaks their language and then converts them," Bhagwat said. Over the course of 100 years, people came to India to change everything, he said. They have been working here for centuries but failed to gain anything as our roots remained strong thanks to the efforts of our ancestors, Bhagwat said. "Efforts are made to uproot them. So, the society should understand that deceit. We have to strengthen the faith," he said. Deceptive people raise some questions about religion to waver the faith, he said, adding, "Ou

Religion occupied key place in social system since time immemorial: Prez

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday said the entire humanity rests on the foundation stone of religion and it was a matter of pride that religion occupied a central place in India's tradition, social system and political activities since time immemorial. The great banyan tree of Indian spirituality has its roots in the country with its branches spread all over the world. Many spiritual traditions originated in India and have been flourishing across the world, she said. Realising the cause of human suffering and showing the way to get rid of that suffering is the characteristic of eastern humanism, which has become more important in today's era, the president said. She was speaking after inaugurating the 7th International Dharma-Dhamma Conference, organised here by the India Foundation in collaboration with the Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies. "The concept of dharma-dhamma has been the basic voice of Indian consciousness. In our tradition it is said - 'Dharyate anena iti

Religious conversion shouldn't be given political colour: Supreme Court

Observing that religious conversion is a serious issue which should not be given a political colour, the Supreme Court on Monday sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani on a plea seeking direction to the Centre and states to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversions. A bench of Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar asked Venkataramani to appear in the matter in which the petitioner sought a check on religious conversions through "intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits", and assist as amicus curiae. "We want your assistance also, AG. Religious conversions by force, allurement etc. There are ways and ways, anything by allurement, if that is happening, when what should be done? What are the corrective measures?" the bench said. At the outset, senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for Tamil Nadu, called the petition a "politically motivated" PIL, insisting there was no question of such conversions in the ...

Maha decision to collect data on inter-faith couples a retrograde step: NCP

The Nationalist Congress Party on Wednesday said the Maharashtra government's decision to look into issues only of women in inter-faith and inter-caste marriages shows signs of a prejudiced mindset and is a "retrograde" step. The state government has set up a committee to gather information on the inter-faith and inter-caste marriage couples and maternal families of women involved if they are estranged. The panel head and state minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha said the move is aimed at avoiding a repeat of the Shraddha Walkar case. Walkar, a resident of Vasai in Maharashtra, was allegedly killed by her live-in partner Aaftab Poonawala in their Delhi flat. He allegedly chopped her body into multiple pieces before disposing of them over several weeks. NCP national spokesperson Clyde Crasto said it is good the government has plans to provide a platform for women who are in inter-caste or inter-faith marriages to access counselling and resolve issues with their families, especially those w

India is world's largest democracy, home to great diversity of faiths: US

India is the world's largest democracy and home to a great diversity of faiths, the US said on Tuesday

Sabarimala all set to receive pilgrims as season begins on Nov 17

The Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala will be opened on Wednesday, a day ahead of commencement of two-month long pilgrimage season. The annual Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrimage season begins on November 17. The sanctum sanctorum of the temple will be opened at 5 PM on November 16 in the presence of chief priest (Tantri) Kandararu Rajeevaru by outgoing head priest N Parameswaran Namboothiri. Later, newly selected head priests of Lord Ayyappa and Malikappuram temples will take over for performing poojas for the next one-year period. The 41-day Mandala puja festival will conclude on December 27. The temple will be opened again on December 30 for the Makaravilakku pilgrimage on January 14, 2023. The shrine will be closed on January 20, concluding the pilgrim season. Officials said thousands of devotees are expected to participate this year as it is the first pilgrim season after lifting of the COVID-19 restrictions which were in place during the last two years. Elaborate security ..

Uniform Civil Code will be implemented across country one day: Minister

Minister of State for Law and Justice SP Singh Baghel on Tuesday said Uniform Civil Code (UCC) will be implemented throughout the country one day

File affidavit by Dec 12: SC tells Centre on Places of Worship Act pleas

The Supreme Court on Monday granted time till December 12 to the Centre to file a comprehensive affidavit to petitions challenging the validity of certain provisions of a 1991 law, which prohibit filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala took note of the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that the reply could not be filed and the matter can be taken up later. I need to consult with the Government for filing a detailed counter. If some time can be given, the law officer said. The bench adjourned the hearing on the petitions after taking note of the submissions that due deliberations with government authorities were needed and asked the Centre to file a comprehensive one on or before December 12. The bench asked the Centre to share its response with the parties concerned and decided to hear t

Madhya Pradesh CM Chouhan performs bhoomipujan of Meghdoot Forest in Ujjain

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan performed bhoomipujan for the proposed Meghdoot Forest in Ujjain on Tuesday. He came here to review the facilities of Shri Mahakal Lok

SC issues notice to Centre on plea against forced religious conversion

The Supreme Court on Friday sought response from the Centre and others on a plea seeking direction to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion by "intimidation" and through "gifts and monetary benefits". A bench of Justices M R Shah and Krishna Murari issued notices to the Union of India, Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Law and Justice. The top court asked the parties to file a reply by November 14. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction to the Centre and states to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversion by "intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits". Upadhyay submitted that this is a nationwide problem which needs to be tackled immediately. "The injury caused to the citizens is extremely large because there is not even one district which is free of religious conversion by 'hook and crook'," the plea submitted. "Incidents are report