Religious Freedom

SC rejects fresh plea on Places of Worship Act, allows to file application

The Supreme Court of India is already handling several petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the Places of Worship Act

Datanomics: Religious sites drive tourism, boost jobs and revenues

According to the recent Ministry of Tourism data, religious tourism witnessed 1,439 million tourists in 2022, generating ₹1.34 trillion in revenue

'Attempt to tarnish India's global image': MEA on US religious panel report

'USCIRF should be designated an entity of concern': India responds to US accusation of deteriorating religious freedom in the country

US religious freedom panel recommends sanctions against Indian spy agency

This follows accusations against the agency regarding its alleged involvement in the assassination of Khalistani separatists

US imposes sanctions on Thai officials after Uyghur men deported to China

The US State Department on Friday announced sanctions on an unknown number of current and former Thai officials for their role in deporting at least 40 Uyghur men to China despite worries that they could be jailed or even face death there. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was immediately moving to impose visa restrictions on current and former officials responsible for or complicit in the deportations. No Thai official has been named. The visa restrictions were not explained but can entail a denial of entry to the US. We are committed to combating China's efforts to pressure governments to forcibly return Uyghurs and other groups to China, where they are subject to torture and enforced disappearances, Rubio said in a statement. The Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday said it had multiple times clarified with countries that have conveyed their concerns over the safety of the men that China assured that they would be unharmed, and that Thailand would follow up on their

Security tightened in Sambhal to maintain peace ahead of Holi celebrations

A peace committee meeting was also held at the Sambhal Kotwali police station on March 6 in view of the upcoming Holi festival on Friday

SC defers hearing in Places of Worship Act to first week of April

CJI Sanjiv Khanna also took exception to many intervention applications being filed in the case and said there should be a limit to such applications

SC to hear batch of pleas concerning Places of Worship Act on February 17

The Supreme Court will hear a batch of pleas relating to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, on February 17. As per the causelist for February 17 uploaded on the apex court's website, a bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices Sanjay Kumar and K V Viswanathan is slated to hear the matter. The Act prohibits conversion of any place of worship and provides for the maintenance of the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947. However, the dispute relating to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid issue in Ayodhya was kept out of its purview. Some of the pleas filed in the apex court have challenged the validity of certain provisions of the 1991 law. On January 2, the top court agreed to examine a plea filed by AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi seeking effective implementation of the places of worship law. On December 12 last year, a bench headed by the chief justice, while acting on a batch of pleas relating to the 1991 law,

Siripanyo gives up $5 bn empire, India has history of riches-to-monks

After adopting the ascetic life, such people relinquish all material possessions, even cut ties with family

'Biased organisation with political agenda': India rejects USCIRF report

India on Thursday trashed a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and described it as a "biased" organisation with a "political agenda". In its report, the USCIRF that monitors universal right to freedom of religion criticised India for alleged violations of religious freedom. It also recommended to the US state department to declare India a "Country of Particular Concern" (CPC) in the context of religious freedom. In a strong reaction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the USCIRF should utilise its time more productively on addressing human rights issues in the United States. "Our views on the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) are well known. It is a biased organisation with a political agenda," external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. "It continues to misrepresent facts and peddles a motivated narrative about India. We reject this malicious report, which only serves to discredit US

USCIRF flags 'increasing abuses' against religious minorities in India

A US federal government commission has flagged the alleged worsening of religious freedom in India and called for it to be designated as a "Country of Particular Concern". Authored by senior policy analyst Sema Hasan, the section on India describes the use of misinformation and disinformation -- including hate speech by government officials -- to incite violent attacks against religious minorities and their places of worship, the US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) said in a statement. In its annual report, the USCIRF also recommended that the US Department of State designate India as a "Country of Particular Concern" for engaging in systematic, ongoing and egregious violations of religious freedom. The state department has so far refrained from accepting the recommendations. "This report highlights how, throughout 2024, individuals have been killed, beaten, and lynched by vigilante groups, religious leaders have been arbitrarily arrested, and homes and place

Hundreds march in Brazil for religious freedom as cases of intolerance rise

Practitioners of different religious traditions marched down Rio de Janeiro's iconic Copacabana Beach on Sunday to support religious freedom in Brazil, where cases of intolerance have doubled over the past six years. Hundreds of men, women and children from more than a dozen faiths participated in the event, known as the March for the Defense of Religious Freedom. Many of the participants were practitioners of Afro-Brazilian religions that have recently faced attacks from members of Christian groups. Brazil's recently appointed Minister for Human Rights Maca Evaristo also joined the march, which was held for the 17th consecutive year. The great challenge today in our country is to reduce inequality," Evaristo told the state-run Agencia Brasil news agency. "So for me it is very important to be present in this march, because the people here are also struggling for many things like decent work and a life free from hunger." In Rio de Janeiro state, which is home to a quarter of the ...

Ukraine's parliament approves ban on Moscow-linked religious groups

Ukraine's parliament has banned the activities of religious groups tied to the Russian Orthodox Church or any other faith group supporting Russia's invasion a measure widely seen as targeting a Ukrainian religious body, despite its claim to independence from Moscow. The bill creates the legal tools for the government to ban the activities of any religious group deemed to be too closely connected to Russia or to support its invasion of Ukraine. The Verkhovna Rada approved the bill on Tuesday with 265 affirmative votes and only 29 opposed. The explicit ban on the Russian Orthodox Church is seen as aimed at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which historically has been tied to the Russian church. The UOC has proclaimed its loyalty to Ukraine and insists that it has broken from the authority of the Russian Orthodox Church. But the Ukrainian government says it remains canonically tied to the Russian church and its Moscow-based patriarch, who has depicted the Russian invasion of Ukraine as

Bihar govt mandates detailed registration of temples, mutts, and trusts

The Bihar government has directed all DMs to ensure that unregistered temples, mutts, and trusts in their respective areas are registered and details of their immovable assets are submitted to the Bihar State Board of Religious Trusts (BSBRT) for uploading on its website. The BSBRT operates under the state's law department. State Law Minister Nitin Nabin on Thursday told PTI, "All district magistrates (DMs) have been directed to ensure that unregistered temples, mutts, and trusts are registered on a priority basis." He also instructed the DMs to ensure that details of immovable assets of all registered temples and mutts are promptly provided to the BSBRT for uploading on its website. "I recently sent a letter to all DMs in this regard. So far, only 18 districts have submitted data to the BSBRT," he added. The minister added, "According to the Bihar Hindu Religious Trusts Act of 1950, all public temples, mutts, trusts, and dharamshalas must be registered with the BSBRT. The state .

Hijab ban in Mumbai college explained: Supreme Court to hear plea on Aug 9

Chembur Trombay Education Society's N G Acharya and D K Marathe College introduced a new dress code banning religious attire and religious identifiers within the college premises

Anarchy can't be accepted in the name of religious events, says UP CM

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday said no new tradition should be started during festivals that can hurt the sentiments of people from other religions and strict action should be taken against anarchic elements to ensure peace and harmony. Anarchy cannot be accepted in the name of religious events, Adityanath said at a high-level meeting on Monday evening. "Necessary facilities should be made available to the general public during festivals so that every festival is celebrated in peace and harmony. Respect religious faith, but there should not be any incident that hurts the sentiments of people of other religions," he was quoted as saying in an official statement. He directed the officials to "deal strictly with anarchic elements". The meeting reviewed the ongoing efforts to ensure the safety and convenience of the public as well as the protection of crops and livestock during floods, the statement said. The chief minister said that in the last few days, there

Deeply Biased, driven by votebank: India on US' religious freedom report

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the report selectively picked incidents to advance a preconceived narrative against India

Engaged with India, other nations for equal treatment for all faiths: US

The Biden administration is deeply committed to promoting and protecting universal respect for the right to freedom of religion and has engaged many countries, including India, on the importance of equal treatment for members of all religious communities, a senior US official has said. We have engaged many countries, including India, on the importance of equal treatment for members of all religious communities, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters at his daily news conference on Monday. Miller was responding to a question on a New York Times story titled Strangers in Their Own Land: Being Muslim in Modi's India which alleges that the world's largest Muslim community in India is raising their families and children with fear and uncertainty. Have you engaged with the Indian officials in these issues? Miller was asked. I won't speak to private diplomatic conversations but we are deeply committed to promoting and protecting universal respect for the right to free

India blasts USCIRF, describes it as 'biased' entity with political agenda

India on Thursday came down hard on the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and said it continues to publish its propaganda on the country "masquerading" as part of an annual report. In an unusually sharp reaction to the USCIRF's latest report that has criticised India for alleged violations of religious freedom, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the organisation is known to be a "biased" entity with a political agenda. "The US Commission on International Religious Freedom is known as a biased organisation with a political agenda. They continue to publish their propaganda on India masquerading as part of an annual report," Jaiswal said. "We really have no expectation that the USCIRF will even seek to understand India's diverse, pluralistic and democratic ethos," he added. "Their efforts to interfere in the largest electoral exercise of the world will never succeed," Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing. In its latest annual .

CSDS survey: Ram temple boosts Hindu identity, strong backing for pluralism

While 77 per cent of Hindus expressed faith in religious pluralism, an even higher percentage of Muslims (87 per cent) and other minority groups (81 per cent) shared this view