News for 'freedom of religion'

Curb on hijab only in classroom, not even on campus, Karnataka tells SC

Curb on hijab only in classroom, not even on campus, Karnataka tells SC

Rediff.com21 Sep 2022

The Karnataka government told the Supreme Court on Wednesday that the state has not touched any "religious aspect" in the hijab ban row and that the restriction on wearing the Islamic headscarf is limited to the classroom.

Hindu-Muslim hatred being spread 24x7: Rahul

Hindu-Muslim hatred being spread 24x7: Rahul

Rediff.com24 Dec 2022

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."

We don't need religious freedom lectures from the US

We don't need religious freedom lectures from the US

Rediff.com8 May 2015

'Your constant reiteration on the lack of religious freedom in India has sown doubts about the kind of information that you are being fed and based on which you seem to be making adverse references to India and its tradition of religious tolerance.'

'Rahul Gandhi is creating a bad image in the eyes of the public for Savarkar'

'Rahul Gandhi is creating a bad image in the eyes of the public for Savarkar'

Rediff.com14 Apr 2023

'The Opposition thinks since the ruling party is following Savarkar's Hindutva philosophy, they want to regain their lost political mileage (by attacking Savarkar).' 'By doing so, they think they will get their power back.'

Why Are Christians Being Targeted?

Why Are Christians Being Targeted?

Rediff.com27 Dec 2021

There have been over 300 attacks against Christians and their churches and prayer halls, primarily in northern India, states Aakar Patel.

Blow for Modi sarkar as US report reveals holes in religious freedom

Blow for Modi sarkar as US report reveals holes in religious freedom

Rediff.com15 Oct 2015

India witnessed religiously motivated killings, arrests, riots and coerced religious conversions and the police in some cases failed to respond effectively to communal violence, according to the US State Department report on International Religious Freedom.

'The Hinduism being talked about isn't the religion of Swami Vivekananda'

'The Hinduism being talked about isn't the religion of Swami Vivekananda'

Rediff.com18 Aug 2014

Trinamool congress MP and Gardiner Professor of History at Harvard University Sugata Bose tells Kavita Chowdhury that there is a sense of fear and insecurity among our minorities.

New Ways To Fight Terrorism in Kashmir

New Ways To Fight Terrorism in Kashmir

Rediff.com7 Jun 2022

In the Kashmir Valley, we need to begin to make a distinction between an insurgent who fights the security forces and a terrorist who murders unarmed civilians, suggests Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).

New Constitution bench to hear pleas on polygamy, nikah halala among Muslims

New Constitution bench to hear pleas on polygamy, nikah halala among Muslims

Rediff.com24 Nov 2022

The Supreme Court said on Thursday it will set up a fresh five-judge Constitution bench to hear the pleas challenging the constitutional validity of polygamy and 'nikah halala' among Muslims.

SC to hear pleas against polygamy, nikah halala after Dussehra

SC to hear pleas against polygamy, nikah halala after Dussehra

Rediff.com30 Aug 2022

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought the response of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), National Commission for Women (NCW) and the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) to pleas challenging the constitutional validity of polygamy and 'nikah halala' among Muslims.

MP cabinet approves ordinance to deal with 'love jihad' cases

MP cabinet approves ordinance to deal with 'love jihad' cases

Rediff.com29 Dec 2020

The Madhya Pradesh cabinet on Tuesday gave nod to an ordinance on the bill against religious conversion through fraudulent means, including those for the sake of marriage, that stipulates a jail term of up to 10 years for violators.

The Scene That Made Manoj Bajpayee Nervous

The Scene That Made Manoj Bajpayee Nervous

Rediff.com2 Mar 2023

'There's this one scene in Gulmohar that belongs to Manojji and everyone was excited for him.' 'The evening before we were to shoot it, everyone, from Sharmilaji to the junior most actor, wished him luck.'
'He was suddenly nervous.'
'The next day, 14 actors, from Sharmilaji and Amol Palekar to Suraj Sharma, all watched him perform.' 'It was like being back in film school.'

Modi's Sangamam: Less Of Tamil, More Of Politics

Modi's Sangamam: Less Of Tamil, More Of Politics

Rediff.com23 Nov 2022

The inaugural Sangamam turned out to be a political Hindutva function than a gathering on the Hindu religion, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.

Karnataka: Anti-conversion bill tabled amid din, DK tears papers

Karnataka: Anti-conversion bill tabled amid din, DK tears papers

Rediff.com21 Dec 2021

State Congress president D K Shivakumar even tore papers on his table, in protest against the introduction of the bill, which his party called 'draconian and anti-constitution'.

Even BJP needs to look beyond caste and religion

Even BJP needs to look beyond caste and religion

Rediff.com31 Mar 2017

The party's most important electoral challenge lies in whether it can meet the aspirations of the youth who were drawn by the promise of gainful work.

No HC stay on decision permitting Sikhs to carry kirpans on domestic flights

No HC stay on decision permitting Sikhs to carry kirpans on domestic flights

Rediff.com18 Aug 2022

The bench asked the respondents to file their response to the petition which seeks the constitution of a committee to examine 'workable solutions' to ensure that a kirpan permitted to be carried on the flight is 'appropriately designed and crafted' and does not have a blade length beyond 4 cm.

Mahua Moitra's remarks on Goddess Kali trigger row, TMC distances itself

Mahua Moitra's remarks on Goddess Kali trigger row, TMC distances itself

Rediff.com5 Jul 2022

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra on Tuesday stirred a controversy by saying that she has every right as an individual to imagine Goddess Kali as a meat-eating and alcohol-accepting goddess, as every person has the right to worship god and goddess in his or her own way.

HC stays sections on interfaith marriage in Gujarat's anti-conversion law

HC stays sections on interfaith marriage in Gujarat's anti-conversion law

Rediff.com19 Aug 2021

The Gujarat high court on Thursday put a stay on the operation of some sections related to interfaith marriages of the state's new anti-conversion law.

India, The Electoral Autocracy

India, The Electoral Autocracy

Rediff.com25 Oct 2022

'The most important priority for the next 25 years should be to strengthen our democracy so that it is supportive of social harmony, and to not just respect but to take pride in the diversity of Indian society in terms of the variety of languages, religion and religious practices and social norms,' explains Nitin Desai.

No shadow or implicit ban on 'Kerala Story', TN govt tells SC

No shadow or implicit ban on 'Kerala Story', TN govt tells SC

Rediff.com16 May 2023

The Tamil Nadu government has told the Supreme Court it has not issued any order imposing a "shadow or implicit ban" on The Kerala Story, a multilingual film that has triggered a massive controversy over religious conversions.

Hijab not a display of religious jingoism: Petitioners

Hijab not a display of religious jingoism: Petitioners

Rediff.com15 Feb 2022

They also requested the full bench of the HC to make a leeway to attend classes with headscarves as the court's interim order had suspended their 'fundamental rights'.

Gujarat police make first arrest under new anti-conversion law

Gujarat police make first arrest under new anti-conversion law

Rediff.com18 Jun 2021

Gujarat police have registered the first FIR in the state under the newly-notified law against forcible or fraudulent religious conversion through marriage, and arrested a 26-year-old man in Vadodara city, a senior official said on Friday.

SC to hear plea against hijab verdict after Holi holidays

SC to hear plea against hijab verdict after Holi holidays

Rediff.com16 Mar 2022

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to list for hearing after Holi vacation the pleas challenging the Karnataka high court verdict which dismissed the petitions seeking permission to wear hijab inside the classroom saying it is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islamic faith.

Editors Guild condemns Zubair's arrest, demands immediate release

Editors Guild condemns Zubair's arrest, demands immediate release

Rediff.com28 Jun 2022

The Editors Guild of India on Tuesday termed as 'extremely disturbing' the arrest of AltNews co-founder Muhammad Zubair on charges of hurting religious sentiments, and demanded his immediate release.

Plea filed in SC against HC rejecting hijab in classrooms

Plea filed in SC against HC rejecting hijab in classrooms

Rediff.com15 Mar 2022

A plea was filed in the Supreme Court on Tuesday challenging the Karnataka high court verdict which dismissed the petitions seeking permission to wear the hijab inside the classroom saying it is not a part of the essential religious practice in Islamic faith.

'Indian history is north India-centric'

'Indian history is north India-centric'

Rediff.com23 Mar 2022

'There was a revolt. They were fighting for their rights.' 'They lost their rights after colonial forest policies came into place.' 'These freedom fighters were trying to reassert those rights.'

Karnataka's proposed law has 10-yr jail for mass conversions

Karnataka's proposed law has 10-yr jail for mass conversions

Rediff.com17 Dec 2021

The consequences will be stern in case SC/ST and minors are converted.

How the BJP has CHANGED India

How the BJP has CHANGED India

Rediff.com27 Aug 2021

Since 2014, India has left its moorings as a pluralist, modern, secular State because that is how the BJP wants it to be, notes Aakar Patel.

Assam govt to bring laws for transparency in marriage, says Himanta Sarma

Assam govt to bring laws for transparency in marriage, says Himanta Sarma

Rediff.com1 Dec 2020

Sarma said, "It will be mandatory for all marriages. There will be a disclosure pro forma given to a wife who'll give it to her husband. It won't be only about religion but everything that a wife needs to know. It won't be in line with Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. It'll be empowering women."

'The women loved Elaben'

'The women loved Elaben'

Rediff.com4 Nov 2022

'Who would think of making a bank of poor women? She had vision and boldness.'

'Secularism may not survive in India'

'Secularism may not survive in India'

Rediff.com13 May 2022

'You will see more laws that treat Hindus and non-Hindus, especially Muslims, quite unequally.' 'Once you see this kind of erosion of secularism, it will be very hard to get it back.'

'Modi shouldn't attend Ram temple ceremony as PM'

'Modi shouldn't attend Ram temple ceremony as PM'

Rediff.com28 Jul 2020

Modi's presence at the evnt would open wounds, the Hyderabad MP said.

Savarkar wrote mercy petitions on Gandhi's request: Rajnath

Savarkar wrote mercy petitions on Gandhi's request: Rajnath

Rediff.com12 Oct 2021

"He was an icon of the Indian history and will remain so. There can be a difference of opinion about him, but to look down on him as inferior is not appropriate and justifiable. He was a freedom fighter and a staunch nationalist, but people who follow the Marxist and Leninist ideology are the ones who accuse Savarkar of being a fascist...," Singh said, adding that the hatred towards Savarkar is illogical and unplaced.

The Perils Of Democracy In Pakistan

The Perils Of Democracy In Pakistan

Rediff.com26 May 2023

Pakistan still has to acquire the patience you need in a democracy. The patience to accept that even if I do not like the government I have, I must wait till the next election to change it, explains Shekhar Gupta.

3 shot dead in clashes during Bengal panchayat poll nominations

3 shot dead in clashes during Bengal panchayat poll nominations

Rediff.com16 Jun 2023

Three persons were shot dead and several others were injured as violence and arson marked the conclusion of nomination filing for the three-tier West Bengal panchayat polls slated next month.

'People are frightened, but nobody knows what to do'

'People are frightened, but nobody knows what to do'

Rediff.com15 May 2023

'There is no one who will be able to have a dignified life, when your brother and sister of another community are not being treated as human.'

'If he was in India, Einstein wouldn't have got out of school'

'If he was in India, Einstein wouldn't have got out of school'

Rediff.com24 Mar 2023

'Most students find it difficult to cope with the way they are expected to learn at the IITs.' 'So, all the students face the same stress.' 'But those students who are mentally weak are more affected.'

Is India really a democracy?

Is India really a democracy?

Rediff.com11 Feb 2021

Indians supposedly have the right to freedom, and the right to equality, which cuts across gender, religion, sexual orientation, etc, observes Devangshu Datta.

'I had fought for undivided India'

'I had fought for undivided India'

Rediff.com20 Aug 2022

For his participation in Netaji's INA, Major Ghulam Ahmed Qureshi was put into solitary confinement in the Red Fort, charged with rebellion against the Crown. Despite Nehru, Asaf Ali and a host of top lawyers defending them, Qureshi and his fellow officers were sentenced to death.

Some countries support terror, some block action on terrorists, says Modi

Some countries support terror, some block action on terrorists, says Modi

Rediff.com18 Nov 2022

Organisations and individuals that try to create sympathy for terrorists must also be isolated, he said addressing the third 'No Money for Terror Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing' hosted by the Ministry of Home Affairs.