Page 2 - Religious Tolerance

To promote peace, necessary to understand importance of tolerance: Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said it is necessary to understand the importance of tolerance and respect for each other to promote peace and harmony in the society. Addressing an interfaith meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, she said religion holds an important place in the lives of people. Religious beliefs and practices provide us with relief, hope and strength in adverse circumstances, she said. Prayer and meditation help humans experience inner peace and emotional stability, she said, adding that fundamental spiritual values ??like peace, love, purity and truth "make our lives meaningful". "Religious practices devoid of these values ??cannot benefit us. To promote peace and harmony in the society, it is necessary to understand the importance of tolerance, respect for each other and harmony," the president was quoted as having said in a statement issued by the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Murmu said every human soul deserves affection and respect. "Recognising self, living

BJP fires fresh salvo at Opposition over 'Sanatan Dharma' remark row

The BJP on Tuesday accused the INDIA bloc of having a hidden agenda to attack Sanatan Dharma for its vote bank politics as it questioned the "silence" of opposition leaders amid frequent critical remarks by DMK leaders about the ancient faith. Firing a fresh salvo at the opposition over the issue, BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad targeted the Congress leadership saying the longer Sonia Gandhi maintains silence over the matter the more it will be clear that opposing Sanatan Dharma is part of the INDIA bloc's common minimum programme. Prasad seized on a recent comment by a DMK leader that it is the bloc's agenda to oppose Sanatan Dharma, and said what the Tamil Nadu leader has said is right. "The BJP will urge this alliance to come out with a categorical resolution that we completely disassociate ourselves (from DMK's criticism) and this is not our agenda," he said at a press conference. With the DMK linking Sanatan Dharma with the practice of caste ...

Russia, India, China, among others target faith community members: US

A senior US official on Monday said far too many governments, including Russia, India, China and Saudi Arabia, continue to freely target faith community members, as the state department released its Congressional-mandatory annual report on international religious freedom that documents the status of religious freedom in countries across the world. "Far too many governments continue to freely target faith community members within their borders," Rashad Hussain, Ambassador at Large, Office of International Religious Freedom, told reporters at a news conference here soon after the annual 2022 "Report on International Religious Freedom" was released by Secretary of State Tony Blinken. The report provides a fact-based, comprehensive view of the state of religious freedom in nearly 200 countries and territories around the world, Blinken said, noting that it aims to highlight areas where freedom of religion or belief is being repressed to promote accountability and ultimately, drive progres

The shadow of Xi Jinping, misinformation and hurt religious sentiments

This past week there was also a review of a book on the Big Bull Rakesh Jhunjhunwala

All conversions can't be illegal: SC on HC order on MP anti-conversion law

Madhya Pradesh High Court, in its decision in November 2022, had restrained the state government from prosecuting "adult citizens if they solemnise marriage on their own volition"

US not to put India on list of nations violating religious freedom: Report

The United States has made it clear that India will not be placed on its list of 'Countries of Particular Concern' or 'Special Watch list' this year for violations of religious freedom

Preserving the identity of religious places: What is Places of Worship Act?

In simpler terms, Places of Worship Act, 1991, says that the character of a religious place cannot be changed from what it was on August 15, 1947-- the day India got its independence

Rushdie attack: Cost of prizing religious identity over defence of liberty

In a piece of dreadful irony, last week's brutal knife attack on Salman Rushdie came just days before the 75th anniversary of the partition of India and Pakistan

Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai slammed after 'Kaali' seen smoking in poster

Manimekalai shared a poster where Goddess Kaali was seen smoking in the background and was also seen holding a pride flag of the LGBTQ community

1991 law doesn't bar finding religious character of place of worship: SC

The Supreme Court Friday observed that ascertaining the religious character of a place of worship is not barred under the Places of Worship Act of 1991. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and PS Narasimha made the important observation during an hour-long hearing of the Gyanvapi mosque dispute and said that it has dealt with provisions of the Places of Worship Act in its 2019 Ayodhya verdict and section 3 does not expressly bar ascertaining of the religious character of the place of worship. We have dealt with the provisions in our Ayodhya verdict. The ascertainment of the religious character of the place of worship is not expressly barred, the bench said and also clarified that it is not its opinion but is in dialogue with the parties. Justice Chandrachud, who made the observation, was also part of the five-judge bench that delivered its verdict on the Ayodhya dispute in 2019. The judge said, Suppose there is an Agiyari (a Parsi fire temple) and there is a Cross in ..

The state is not what one thinks it is

Rescuing the liberal state from failure requires engagement with traditional institutions,not their ostracism

Batting for tolerance

A sportsman steps in where politicians fail

Ramleela skit row: Amid social media outcry, AIIMS student body apologises

The skit, allegedly giving a modern spin to some characters of Ramayana with a comic flavour, was performed on the occasion of Dusshera by some first-year MBBS students

UNGA adopts resolution to safeguard religious sites across the world

The UN General Assembly has adopted a resolution to promote a culture of peace and tolerance to safeguard religious sites

Web series row: MP Police books 2 Netflix officials for hurting sentiments

An FIR was registered in Madhya Pradesh on Monday against two executives of OTT platform Netflix for allegedly hurting religious sentiments through its web series "A Suitable Boy", an official said.

Faith and tolerance

All citizens can be persuaded to cross at least the first few stages of tolerance that require us to accept the principles of democracy and respect others

Religious tolerance deteriorated in India in 2016: USCIRF

New Delhi maintains that the Indian Constitution has granted religious freedom to every citizen