Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin is set to return to Kolkata next month for an anti-fundamentalism literary event, nearly two decades after she was forced to leave the city amid violent protests over her writings. The BJP government in West Bengal is projecting this as a reversal of past capitulation to religious fundamentalism.
India is among the world's highest supporters for religious freedom, according to a new research that, however, found the country to be lagging behind on several measures of free expression including government censorship, competitive elections and internet freedom.
The Supreme Court of India has observed that the practice of excommunicating Parsi women for entering into interfaith marriages is prima facie discriminatory, emphasising that the right of conscience is a birthright.
"Whenever we do compromise those rights, the world is worse off," Pompeo said.
The Chhattisgarh government has introduced a bill in the state assembly to prevent religious conversions carried out through force, inducement, fraud, or misrepresentation. The bill, titled the Chhattisgarh Dharm Swatantraya Vidheyak, 2026 (Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026), aims to curb conversions achieved through coercion or undue influence.
The Supreme Court of India is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, and the scope of religious freedom practised by multiple faiths.
The Centre has supported the restriction on women of menstruating age entering Kerala's Sabarimala temple, arguing that the Supreme Court's 2018 judgement assumes male superiority.
The Shabari story in the Ramayana found mention before a nine-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday while hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple in Kerala.
The Supreme Court of India questioned the Centre regarding the eligibility of non-devotees to challenge the customs of the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, during a hearing on religious freedom and discrimination against women at religious sites.
About 50 people from various religious group attended a press conference on April 11, in West Sacramento, where California Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada, D-Davis, announced the introduction of Assembly Bill 1964, which would strengthen religious freedoms in the workplace.
India says the USCIRF has no locus standi to pass its comment on Indian citizens' constitutionally protected rights.
The Supreme Court is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple. A nine-judge bench is examining the scope of religious freedom and the exclusion of women based on age and menstrual status.
For India, the guiding principle should remain clear: Engage Bangladesh as a sovereign nation and society rather than through the prism of any individual leader or political party, suggests Manoj Mohanka.
Large crowds gathered in Southampton on Tuesday evening as officers from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary stood in riot gear near the home of Vickrum Digwa, who was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing 18-year-old Henry Nowak to death.
The Supreme Court of India has emphasised the importance of open access to all temples and 'maths' for everyone, warning that excluding any denomination would negatively impact Hinduism and divide society. This statement was made during hearings on petitions related to discrimination against women at religious sites and the scope of religious freedom.
A group of 11 American lawmakers has written to President Barack Obama to discuss the issue of religious freedom in India with visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during their meetings at the White House.
The Supreme Court of India has asserted its jurisdiction to determine what constitutes a superstitious practice within a religion, during a hearing on petitions related to discrimination against women at religious sites.
Thousands of Naga students and citizens rallied in Kohima, Nagaland, opposing the central government's directive to mandate the singing of Vande Mataram in official functions and educational institutions, citing concerns over secularism and religious freedom.
The Chhattisgarh government has introduced a bill aimed at preventing religious conversions through force, inducement, or misrepresentation, sparking opposition and debate in the state assembly.
Members of the Muslim community in Madhya Pradesh's Dhar district said they would offer their first Friday namaz at home and wear black bands after the court setback in the Bhojshala case.
The Centre has asked the Supreme Court to reconsider its judgements decriminalising adultery and same-sex relationships, arguing they were based on a subjective application of 'constitutional morality'.
The Supreme Court has announced that a nine-judge bench will begin final hearings on petitions related to discrimination against women in religions, including the Sabarimala Temple case, starting April 7.
The Donald Trump administration is planning another controversial executive order which if signed by the President will provide individuals and organisations the option to deny services, employment and other benefits to people based on religion, according to media reports.
The funding comes after a 2016 report found an increase in violent incidents by cow vigilantes mostly against Muslims in India and authorities often 'failed' to prosecute them.
Hundreds of Hindu devotees gathered at the Bhojshala complex in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh, for a 'maha aarti' following a high court ruling declaring the site a temple. Members of the Muslim community protested peacefully by offering namaz at home wearing black bands.
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind has criticized the central government's directive mandating the singing of all six stanzas of Vande Mataram at official functions, alleging it violates religious freedom.
'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.'
The Supreme Court questioned the chief priest of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple regarding the constitutionality of preventing believers from touching the deity, during hearings on discrimination against women at religious sites.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea challenging the validity of the Rajasthan Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2025, potentially impacting religious freedom and state legislation.
The Maharashtra assembly has passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, introducing strict measures to prevent religious conversions through coercion, fraud, or marriage, sparking debate over constitutional rights and religious freedom.
An influential Hindu organisation in the United States has slammed a group of lawmakers for introducing a resolution in the House of Representatives on record of India's religious freedom arguing that it is grossly inaccurate and aims to provoke.
Sakal Hindu Samaj activists protested in Mumbai, alleging police stopped Ram Navami processions during namaz and used inappropriate language. Over 50 people were detained as a precaution.
The Supreme Court has declined the Centre's request to postpone the hearing on petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the 2023 law, which excludes the CJI from the committee responsible for appointing election commissioners, stating the matter is of utmost importance.
A United States court has ruled that Yoga classes in an elementary school do not endorse Hinduism or violate students' right to religious freedom and are "devoid of any religious, mystical, or spiritual trappings".
A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has written to House Speaker Paul Ryan, asking him to raise the issue of religious freedom in India during his meeting with PM Modi.
Seattle's LGBTQ community members say they hope that this Friday's World Cup "Pride Match" between Egypt and Iran, two countries where homosexuality is criminalised, can be an opportunity to change minds.
Citing popular protests in Iran, an Islamic country, against the mandatory use of hijabs, he claimed that religion freedom in India cannot mean promotion of "separatist" designs.
The Supreme Court has upheld a Madras High Court decision prohibiting animal sacrifice and granting limited prayer rights to Muslim devotees on the Thiruparankundram hills in Tamil Nadu.
Imtiaz Ali's new film Main Vaapas Aaunga is set to delve into the enduring trauma of the 1947 Partition, continuing Bollywood's complex cinematic journey of depicting one of history's most violent and impactful events.
UN experts have voiced serious concerns regarding the ongoing abduction and forced religious conversion through marriage of women and girls from minority communities in Pakistan, highlighting that impunity is fuelling the practice.
