Political observers said the announcement assumes significance as the state prepares for the assembly elections, with political parties stepping up outreach to various community groups.
The armed forces of India will be wise to remember that its public interface needs to be tempered with discretion, maturity and example, keeping in mind the nation's multi-cultural and multi-religious fabric which is its greatest strength but which can also become its biggest fault-line, asserts Vice Admiral Biswajit Dasgupta (retd).
A former BJP MP in Rajasthan is facing accusations of religious discrimination after allegedly insulting a Muslim woman and taking back a blanket during a distribution event.
Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Sunday issued a formal address and said that the event is a moment of profound religious and historical consequence.
Tensions between Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and the Uttar Pradesh government led by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have drawn national attention in recent months.
The core issues to be settled -- access to Hormuz, Israel's aggression in Lebanon, the question of Iran's nuclear programme, sanctions relief and compensation -- are thorny enough to require weeks of patient negotiation. The most likely outcome of the opening sessions is that both sides take the measure of each other, establish what is and is not negotiable, and return home without having broken anything. That would count as progress.
In which area of Indian life are women not running the show?
The complainant stated that Ranveer Singh, while present on stage and in the presence of the lead actor of Kantara: Chapter-1, allegedly performed acts that mocked and insulted the sacred Bhoota Kola tradition practiced in coastal Karnataka.
'Mojtaba Khamenei supervised the most recent repression in December 2025 and January 2026 which remains ongoing.'
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged a protest in Lucknow alleging illegal religious conversion activities at King George's Medical University (KGMU), following the arrest of a KGMU intern in a rape and blackmail case. The VHP demanded swift action against those involved, claiming an organized attempt at religious conversion.
'I want to show bearded men actually caring and loving for their sons or a woman from Pakistan in a position of power. How radical is that?'
The West Bengal Urdu Academy has postponed a 'mushaira' featuring Javed Akhtar following protests by some Muslim groups who claim his comments hurt religious sentiments. Left student organizations condemn the postponement.
RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat addressed concerns about population imbalance, citing religious conversion, infiltration, and low birth rates as key factors. He advocated for 'ghar wapasi' and vigilance against infiltrators, while also emphasizing the importance of family and employment.
Singh, who worked in a factory in Alwar, was known locally as a 'Siddh Purush' and often participated in religious events. This allowed him to build rapport with defence personnel and civilians alike, the officials said.
Following reports of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's death, widespread protests erupted in Kashmir, with demonstrators expressing strong anti-US and anti-Israel sentiments.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the BJP following an assault on food vendors at a Bhagavad Gita recital event in Kolkata, asserting that the state would not tolerate intimidation, communal division, or attempts to dictate dietary choices. She vowed stringent action against those responsible and accused the BJP of trying to import a culture of communal division and weaponize religious texts for political mobilization.
All along, we were told SIR was an essential exercise carried out as part of the Election Commission's regular duties. But now that the ideological mentor of the ruling party has declared that SIR is a means of detecting infiltrators, one understands the unseemly haste with which it is being carried out, notes Jyoti Punwani.
The Congress party in Karnataka is demanding action against a District Commissioner for holding a saffron flag during a religious procession. The DC claims she was performing her official duties and denies any political motivation.
The Karnataka Cabinet has decided to bring in rules to regulate RSS activities, including marches and events in public places and government premises, requiring prior government permission.
Senior BJP leaders and an expelled MLA have questioned the Karnataka government's decision to have author Banu Mushtaq inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara festivities, citing concerns about her faith and its appropriateness for a religious ceremony.
He was sleeping in a garage when the fire broke out, and CCTV footage suggests foul play.
Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, condemns attacks against Christians in India and urges government authorities to control religious fanatics. He highlights the constitutional right to religious freedom and criticizes the silence of governing bodies in the face of increasing attacks.
'The story of Ghooskhor Pandat focuses on an individual's actions and choices and does not comment on or represent any caste, religion, or community. As a filmmaker, I approach my work with a deep sense of responsibility -- to tell stories that are thoughtful and respectful.'
Former Samajwadi Party MP S T Hasan links the Uttarakhand disaster to the demolition of religious sites, claiming it angers God and disrupts spiritual balance. He also cites environmental destruction as a contributing factor to increasing natural disasters.
These nations officially top the list when it comes to maximum number of official days off.
The suspect was seen on the grounds shortly before the incident, checking the decibel levels and filming the Garba with his mobile phone. He had called the police several times to stop the programme, citing noise concerns, the official said.
Kabir cut a ceremonial ribbon alongside visiting clerics on the dais as slogans of "Nara-e-Takbeer, Allahu Akbar" were raised at the venue, where thousands had gathered since morning.
According to police, rumours claiming the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) was demolishing the mosque spread primarily through voice notes shared across community, religious and neighbourhood WhatsApp groups ahead of a court-ordered anti-encroachment drive.
The Kerala High Court questioned the suspension of a university registrar who cancelled a program where a 'Bharat Mata' portrait was displayed, sparking a debate over religious symbols and law and order.
'The RSS, that advocated military strength, remained in the ideological doghouse for over half a century. Many of the RSS' responses even today carry the burden of this past,' points out Colonel Anil A Athale (retd).
From religious gatherings to public events, 2025 witnessed a series of stampedes and crowd-related incidents that exposed the fragile line between mass participation and human tragedy, leaving behind loss, questions, and urgent lessons on crowd safety.
S S Rajamouli announced his new epic Varanasi at a grand event at Hyderabad's Ramoji Film City over the weekend.
Describing the act as the 'grossest kind of indiscipline', the Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a former Christian officer's plea challenging his termination from the armed forces, after he allegedly refused to participate in regimental religious activities at the sanctum sanctorum of a temple at a place of his posting.
The in-charge principal of a government school in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district was removed for allegedly pressuring students to raise the Islamic slogan 'Allahu Akbar' at a 'Gita Jayanti' event.
Authorities confirmed that the police operation remains ongoing, with security forces deployed across the area.
Christmas was celebrated with devotion and festive gaiety across India, with churches decked in lights, midnight masses, and community events spreading cheer. Leaders extended greetings, and celebrations took place in various states with prayers for peace and harmony.
Posters announcing plans for an Ayodhya-style Ram temple complex in Salt Lake have appeared, escalating the political duel between religious groups ahead of the Bengal assembly polls. The proposed complex includes a school, hospital, and old-age home.
The Union minister said such calls were tantamount to "inviting violence".
Madhya Pradesh Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Inder Singh Parmar has sparked controversy by saying that social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy was a 'British agent' who started a 'vicious cycle of religious conversion', prompting the Trinamool Congress to call the remarks an insult to Bengal.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced that his government will introduce a provision for the death penalty for religious conversion of girls, mirroring the punishment for rape of minors. This announcement was made at a Women's Day event in Bhopal, where the CM also digitally transferred financial assistance to beneficiaries of various schemes. Yadav stated that the government is committed to protecting and respecting women and will take strict action against those involved in illegal conversions.
