Paresh Rawal has robustly defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi, dismissing claims of divisive politics and asserting that Modi 'never does Hindu-Muslim politics.
A businessman in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh, organised a mass wedding for 101 underprivileged Hindu and Muslim couples, providing not only the ceremony but also household items. Inspired by his lack of a sister, Vinay Agarwal's initiative has grown significantly since 2018, offering crucial support to families struggling with wedding expenses.
Both Hindu and Muslim parties involved in the Gyanvapi dispute have rejected the Supreme Court's mediation initiative, stating that the matter should be resolved through judicial adjudication. This decision came during a session at a Varanasi court, where both sides expressed their preference for a court verdict over an out-of-court settlement.
A same-sex relationship between a Hindu and a Muslim woman in Sohna, Gurugram, has sparked community discussion after relatives filed a police complaint. The women, originally from Delhi, claimed they married in a temple and sought protection, leading to a gathering in their neighbourhood.
A long-standing Janmashtami celebration in Kolkata's Mominpore, known for its syncretic culture with significant Muslim participation, is undergoing a major change. BJP leader Rakesh Singh has taken charge, forming an exclusively Hindu organising committee, sparking a debate about religious harmony, political influence, and the nature of shared festivals in the city.
Former Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi stated, "We thought we'll go to the fountainhead of this hate discourse. This whole hate narrative according to us was being spread by the RSS," explaining the delegation's decision to meet RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in 2022.
Social media influencer Javed Khan cancelled his Garba performances in Jaipur on October 17 and 18 after allegedly receiving threats from Hindu outfits. The organisations reportedly warned event organisers of protests if a Muslim artist performed. Khan returned advance payments and plans to file a police complaint regarding the incident.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat stated that a true Hindu believes in the unity of humanity and that all religious paths lead to the same goal, asserting that 'if any Hindu thinks that there should be no Muslim in Bharat, he will not remain Hindu'.
Historian Ramachandra Guha, at the launch of his book "Arguments with Gandhi", discussed Mahatma Gandhi's use of "Ram Rajya", acknowledging it could be "off-putting to Muslims" despite Gandhi's interfaith practice. Guha highlighted Gandhi's pluralistic approach, his efforts to protect minorities after Partition, and his contributions to the anti-untouchability campaign, often overlooked in contemporary discourse. The book also examines Gandhi's disagreements with figures like Ambedkar, Savarkar, Nehru, and Bhagat Singh.
Sonia Gandhi's memoir, "Belonging: A Journey Of Love," reveals her conversations with then-Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi regarding the controversial Shah Bano case and the escalating Ram Janmabhoomi dispute. The book details Rajiv's attempts to navigate these complex issues, his rationale behind decisions, and the political fallout, including criticism from the BJP and the eventual destruction of the Babri Masjid in 1992. Gandhi also criticises the RSS's vision of a 'Hindu nation' and its impact on India's social fabric.
Newly appointed BJP Minority Morcha national president Kunwar Basit Ali announced a strategic focus on approximately 100 Uttar Pradesh assembly seats, aiming to connect the Muslim community with the BJP by highlighting government welfare schemes and dispelling "misconceptions" about the party.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has strongly criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge for describing Diwali as 'khushiyon ka Eid' (Eid of happiness), accusing the Congress of appeasement politics and hurting Hindu sentiments. Congress leader Pawan Khera defended Kharge, stating that 'Eid' literally means 'festival'.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has announced that Muslims will be barred from participating in 'garba' and 'dandiya' events during the upcoming Navratri festival in Maharashtra. The organisation has also issued guidelines for organisers, including checking Aadhaar cards and applying 'tilak' to verify Hindu identity, citing the religious nature of the festival.
Madhya Pradesh BJP MLA Usha Thakur has sparked controversy by claiming that 4.5 lakh girls elope with non-Hindu men during Garba celebrations annually, leading to demographic change. She advocated banning non-Hindus from Garba pandals, a stance supported by the VHP, which suggests Aadhaar checks to prevent "love jihad." The Congress has condemned her remarks, demanding an apology, and highlighted similar controversial statements from another BJP MLA.
In a heartwarming act of compassion, Irfana Iqbal, a Muslim panchayat member in Kasaragod, Kerala, performed the last rites of an abandoned Hindu man, Narayanan, according to his customs after his family refused to claim his body. Her selfless act, driven by the belief that humanity transcends religion, has garnered widespread appreciation.
Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, has stated that festivals like Navratri are inclusive and there is nothing wrong with Muslim individuals attending the celebrations, despite the Vishva Hindu Parishad's call to bar Muslims from such events and BJP leader Nitesh Rane's support for the ban.
The Calcutta High Court has upheld a magistrate court's decision to grant interim maintenance to a Hindu woman who married a man according to Muslim rites and customs, citing Supreme Court precedents on the husband's liability for maintenance until the marriage is declared void.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the BJP is consistently losing ground, which is why "the PM's love for Muslim League has resurfaced".
Congress leaders on Monday termed the reorganisation of the Madhya Pradesh Waqf Board with the inclusion of two Hindu members as "inappropriate" and said they would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court.
The Supreme Court has ruled that social backwardness is not transferable from a Hindu social order to a non-Hindu social order upon religious conversion, meaning individuals converting to Islam cannot claim reservation benefits under the Backward Class (Muslim) category solely due to conversion.
In a heartwarming display of interfaith harmony, a Muslim family in Pune came to the aid of a Hindu couple whose wedding rituals were disrupted by heavy rains. When the Hindu couple's outdoor ceremony was threatened, the Muslim family, who were celebrating their own wedding reception, offered their venue for the Hindu couple to complete their 'saptapadi' ritual. The gesture of kindness and understanding is a testament to the growing spirit of interfaith harmony in India.
A Pakistani court has ordered the return of 21-year-old Hindu girl Shirimati Reeta to her parents after she was allegedly lured, pressured to convert to Islam, and marry a Muslim man. Reeta, who had gone missing from Sindh, was recovered by police in Punjab and stated in court her desire to return home, highlighting the ongoing issue of forced conversions among minority girls in Pakistan.
An Islamic cleric issued a fatwa against actress Sara Ali Khan, demanding she repent for offering prayers at the Kedarnath temple.
Gujarati folk singer Aditya Gadhvi has publicly distanced himself from an incident where non-Hindus and Muslims were asked to leave a high-end garba event in Ahmedabad during Navratri. The announcement was made from the stage by anchor-RJ Akash Trivedi, reportedly at the behest of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) volunteers. Gadhvi stated that the action was not his doing or message, emphasising that his stage is for music and devotion, and garba welcomes everyone with love and respect for Maa Durga.
'The situation in Nuh could have easily returned to normalcy if the trader class wished so, but they didn't.'
Syed Firdaus Ashraf/Rediff.com does a deep dive into four elections when Narendra Modi resorted to anti-Muslim fervour and points out that Hindu-Muslim politics does not necessarily mean victory for the BJP.
Actor-MP Kangana Ranaut and movie legend Sharmila Tagore are embroiled in a public debate over Vande Mataram.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, addressing an INDIA bloc rally in New Delhi on Sunday, launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission and the BJP government, alleging "vote chori" in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He asserted that Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar would be removed and jailed for "treason," and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah would face legal action. Gandhi claimed 13.5 crore voters were removed from electoral rolls, making the 2024 elections "illegal." The BJP, in response, accused Gandhi of creating anarchy and having a "dual mentality" regarding democratic outcomes.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday accused the opposition RJD-Congress combine of failing to curb communal clashes in the state while they were in power. He alleged that they "sought votes of Muslims" but did nothing to stop the violence. Kumar, who has been in power since 2005, highlighted the Bhagalpur riots of 1989, which he said were a result of "bad law and order" during the previous government's tenure. He praised the BJP-led central government for its support to Bihar and the recent budget, which he said had many announcements for the state.
A 22-year-old social media influencer and gym trainer, Arif Ayub Shaikh, has been arrested in Palghar, Maharashtra, on charges of rape, physical abuse, and attempting to force a woman to convert her religion under the guise of marriage. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya has labelled the case as "love jihad," alleging a larger network exploiting young Hindu girls in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region. Police recovered over 100 explicit video clips from Shaikh's phone, with some potentially distributed abroad.
'Many women lose control of properties after their husband's death.'
Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar has accused Chief Minister VD Satheesan of "selective secularism" following the arrest of a YouTuber for allegedly making communal remarks about a Fort Kochi cafe. Chandrasekhar questioned the ruling Congress and CPI(M)'s political culture, which he claims disrespects religious sentiments, while other leaders like Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and MP Hibi Eden condemned the communal remarks and defended Kerala's secular fabric and tourism.
'Very few people are fortunate to make such a quick and quiet exit from the world. He would have been miserable in a hospital.'
An FIR has been registered against a teacher and others at a private school in Hyderabad after a Hindu student was allegedly assigned "Islamic religious practices" as homework. The incident sparked outrage from political and religious groups, leading to the teacher's termination.
The CM also said that to prevent the sale of land from the indigenous communities like tribals and Adivasis to others in undivided Goalpara district, a strong law will be brought.
Never a crowd pleaser in the conventional sense, Nana Patekar's knack for not mincing words, if anything his brusque, take it-or-leave it persona -- which made his eccentricity a guilty pleasure of sorts -- contributed to his eminence, observes Sukanya Verma.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Friday a plea of the Muslim side alleging that the alternative site identified by the Madhya Pradesh government for offering namaaz was located too far from the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar.
The Congress leader said he has traversed across the country, "but I have not seen violence, hatred anywhere. But I see it on television all the time."
The only thing that might make the BJP stop trying to isolate Muslims completely will be if substantial numbers of the community vote for the party that flaunts its animosity towards it, notes Jyoti Punwani.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met with students injured during recent protests and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to obstruct their voice. Gandhi assured the students of Congress's support and warned that action would be taken against all officials, from the Prime Minister to police constables, who acted against them. He emphasised the unity of the protesting students, transcending religion and caste.
