A group of eminent Indian-Americans has condemned the brazen hateful comments and a hostile environment against Hindus in Canada and asked Ottawa not to mix freedom of expression with freedom for terror and endorse hate crimes by being silent on the issue.
Describing bullying and harassment of Sikh children as a "serious problem", the United States Department of Justice has recommended that crimes against Sikhs and Hindus should be added to the religion-based hate crimes tracked by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to help law enforcement officials tackle the problem.
A mobile app 'CAA-2019' will also be launched shortly to facilitate applications through mobile app.
According to a Union home ministry notification, those Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians residing in the districts of Anand and Mehsana in Gujarat will be allowed registration as a citizen of India under Section 5 or will be granted certificate of naturalisation under section 6 of the Citizenship Act, 1955 and in accordance with the provisions of the Citizenship Rules, 2009.
Pakistani Hindu refugees residing in Delhi's Majnu Ka Tila are experiencing anxiety over their visa status despite government clarifications regarding Long Term Visas (LTVs). The government's decision to revoke all visas issued to Pakistani nationals, following heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, has left many refugees worried about their future. While LTVs for Hindu Pakistani nationals remain valid, the renewal process every two years and ongoing citizenship applications under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, have fueled concerns. The Delhi Police has initiated a verification drive, adding to the unease among the refugees, who fear being uprooted yet again. The article highlights the plight of these refugees, who have fled Pakistan seeking a better life in India, and the uncertainties they face in the current political climate.
The murder of two Sikhs by the Taliban in the restless tribal belt highlights the plight of the minorities there. Rajeev Sharma reports.
Ten months after the horrific massacre of Sikhs at Oak Creek gurdwara, the advisory board of FBI votes to create a new separate hate crimes category to help track such attacks against Sikhs, Hindus and Arabs. Aziz Haniffa reports
With the CAA rules being issued, the Modi government will now start granting Indian nationality to persecuted non-Muslim migrants -- Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis and Christians -- from the three countries.
The book, to be introduced in schools from the 2025-2026 academic year, marks a shift in tone in its portrayal of the Mughal emperors, offering detailed accounts of conquest, religious decisions, cultural contributions, and brutality.
There were as many as 932 instances of such hate crimes against Indians, predominantly Hindus and Sikhs, as opposed to approximately 600 instances of faith hate crimes against Pakistani and Bangladeshi Muslims.
Leaders and members of the Hindu community rue the fact that they are not given proper representation and many are not even registered as voters.
People from the Hindu community blocked roads in Hojai during the day, alleging that some pieces of meat were thrown by miscreants on Saturday night, and while Muslims also held another roadblock and the police had to use batons to disperse protesters, a senior officer said.
'The Election Commission is conducting the National Register of Citizens in Bihar through the backdoor.'
'When I undertook a study of temple desecration in precolonial India, it was not enough simply to document what temples were desecrated, by whom, when, and where.' 'It was also important to explore the total historical context of such incidents, with a view to discovering patterns, which in turn could reveal the reasons why they occurred.'
Delayed by more than four years, rules for the CAA are a must for its implementation.
Almost all will say no. Then ask them why they don't push back at those who rise the slogan of Khalistan. Somebody would confront you with a counter-question: If people can talk of a Hindu Rashtra, why get so upset if others talk of a Sikh Nation, points out Shekhar Gupta.
The rules for the CAA are likely to be issued before the MCC comes into effect, sources privy to the development said.
Eighteen Hindu refugees from Pakistan residing in Ahmedabad have been granted Indian citizenship during a camp attended by Gujarat minister of state for home Harsh Sanghavi.
'It is not as if Hindus are not being touched at all, and only Muslims are.'
Joseph Francis A Pereira, a citizen of Pakistan who currently resides in Cansaulim, south Goa, is the first in the state to be given an Indian citizenship certificate.
Holding up pictures of Lord Shiva, Guru Nanak, and Jesus Christ, he referred to Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism and Jainism to underline the importance of fearlessness. He also cited the attributes of Lord Shiva and teachings of Guru Nanak, Jesus Christ, Buddha, and Mahavir to state that all religions and great people of the country have said "daro mat, darao mat (do not be scared, do not scare others)".
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said he is "more than happy" to take responsibility for everything wrong the party did in its history, including the 1984 Sikh riots. He acknowledged that the party made "a lot of mistakes" when he was not there, but said he has publicly stated that what happened in the 80s was "wrong." The remarks were made during an interaction at Brown University in the US. The video of the interaction was uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs on Saturday. The BJP has criticized Gandhi for his remarks, accusing him of "ridiculing" the beliefs of Hindus and Sikhs.
Mrs Gandhi's power ebbed and peaked with the times. Mr Modi's has almost been constant, barring the few months of hard dip after the 240 seats of 2024, points out Shekhar Gupta.
The citizenship rights will protect their cultural, linguistic, and social identity and it will also ensure economic, commercial, free movement, and property purchase rights.
It seems that the West is sending a signal to India that it can return to old hostilities unless India toes their line on Russia. It is no surprise that India is being compared with Putin's Russia in terms of targeting 'dissidents' as the West calls these Khalistani terrorists, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
Jasmer Singh was attacked by 30-year-old Gilbert Augustin after their vehicles collided in Queens in New York last Thursday.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the University of Oxford, stressed the importance of inclusive development and stated that division in society is counterproductive. She emphasized that her governance model prioritizes the welfare of all sections of society and does not allow discrimination, highlighting the state's diverse population and the need for a human-centric approach.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday condemned the violence in West Bengal's Murshidabad district following the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, accusing the opposition of instigating the violence. He also criticized the opposition for their alleged silence over the persecution of Hindus in Bangladesh and emphasized the BJP's commitment to protecting Hindus.
Meeting one of the long pending demands of Sikhs and Hindus in the United States, Attorney General Eric Holder has recommended widening the Federal Bureau of Investigation's mandate to include the two communities among victims of growing hate crimes. Testifying before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Holder said he made this recommendation to the Advisory Policy Board of the FBI to make the necessary changes in the Uniform Crime Reporting in this regard.
'Rather than assuaging the feelings of the Hindus accommodated in schools and hospitals, she calls a meeting of imams and tries to assuage them.'
Justice S R Sen also wants Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan to be made Indian citizens without any questions. Aashish Aryan/Business Standard reports.
PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti drew comparisons between the treatment of Hindus in Bangladesh and minorities in India, sparking criticism from the BJP. Mufti expressed concerns about the alleged oppression of Hindus in Bangladesh and criticized recent surveys of mosques in India. She called for a united front against forces dividing people on religious lines and warned of a potential repeat of 1947-like riots.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party which had emerged victorious on 29 seats have 28 Hindus and one Sikh member as none of its Muslim candidates, including two former ministers, managed to win.
The Canadian government has said the circulation of an online video in which Hindu Canadians are told to leave the country is offensive and hateful, asserting that acts of aggression, hate, intimidation or incitement of fear have no place in Canada.
Eligible applicants under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act 2019 (CAA) will be granted Indian nationality with retrospective effect as specified in the law, officials said on Tuesday.
'Nowhere does the CAA state that Muslims will be deprived of their Indian citizenship.'
The share of the Hindu population declined by 7.8% to 78.06%.
In contrast, the share of the Muslim and Christian populations increased by 43.15% to 14.09%, and by 5.4% to 2.36%.
He said in categorical terms that CAA was brought in to provide citizenship and not to take away anyone's citizenship.
If we accept that there is a challenge in Punjab today, any realistic progress can only be made if the rest of the country, especially the government and the ruling party, engage with this sense of grievance, points out Shekhar Gupta
Tightening its noose around Canada-based 'designated individual terrorist' Gurpatwant Singh Pannu, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated a house and land of the self-styled general counsel of the outlawed Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) outfit in Punjab's Amritsar and the Union Territory of Chandigarh on Saturday, an official said.
