The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) has appealed to the United Nations to intervene on behalf of religious minorities in Pakistan and Bangladesh, citing human rights violations.
India has rejected allegations of declining media freedom and erosion of religious and minority rights, asserting that the country is a vibrant democracy that guarantees free speech to all.
The West Bengal cabinet has decided to discontinue assistance-oriented schemes based on religious categorisation for Imams, muezzins and purohits from June. The cabinet also approved the 'Annapurna' scheme of Rs 3,000 monthly support to women from June 1, and granted in-principle consent for their free travel in state-run buses.
A 19-year-old man was arrested in Lucknow for allegedly pressuring a minor girl to convert her religion after befriending her on Instagram and threatening to post her private videos on social media, police said.
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea on May 29 seeking a direction to the Nagpur Parsi Panchayat to treat a Parsi woman equally with her male counterparts, even after she marries a person of another faith, challenging a rule that allegedly strips Parsi women of their religious identity upon inter-faith marriage.
A US federal government commission has raised concerns about the state of religious freedom in India, recommending its designation as a 'Country of Particular Concern' and suggesting targeted sanctions.
In the recent Bangladesh elections, four minority candidates, including two Hindus, secured parliamentary seats, highlighting the evolving political landscape and representation of minority communities within the BNP's victory.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP for allegedly attempting to divide people on religious and caste lines during a community outreach programme in her Bhabanipur constituency.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the BJP for allegedly deleting names from electoral rolls and attempting to divide people on religious and caste lines during a community outreach programme in her Bhabanipur constituency.
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.
Ghaziabad authorities have sealed two illegal madrasas in Indirapuram and Loni, citing lack of registration, NOCs, and inadequate facilities. This action is part of an intensified crackdown on unrecognised institutions, which gained momentum following the recent killing of a teenager in the area.
Ashutosh Brahmachari, who filed a sexual harassment case against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, has now claimed he did so under pressure from Ramchandra Das, the mahant of Deva Ashram in Mathura, alleging a conspiracy involving several officers.
The AIMPLB is of the view that not only tribals but every religious minority should also be kept out of the purview of UCC, he said.
India has rejected a report by the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) that criticised India's record on religious freedom and called for linking US security assistance and trade to improvements in this area.
Newly appointed West Bengal minister Bishal Lama performed a puja before occupying his new office, which was previously used by former education minister Partha Chatterjee, who was arrested in a school jobs scam. Lama stated it was a personal tradition for auspicious beginnings.
A US Congressman has introduced a resolution urging the US government to recognise the 1971 atrocities committed against Bengali Hindus in Bangladesh by the Pakistani Army as a genocide, seeking justice and historical acknowledgement.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari asserted that his government would adopt a 'zero tolerance' policy against vandalism carried out under the guise of religious slogans.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) announced a nationwide movement against the 'deteriorating condition' and social and political marginalisation of Muslims in India, citing concerns over mob violence, demolition drives, and attempts to impose Vande Mataram.
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 report states that while the national government sometimes spoke out against incidents of violence, local political leaders often did not, and at times made public remarks that individuals could interpret as condoning violence.
Obama made no reference to any country in his speech but said that his administration works to promote religious freedom around the globe.
A special court in Thane acquitted three individuals in a 2015 human trafficking case due to the prosecution's failure to examine the minor victim, who was allegedly forced into prostitution.
Ideology is dead; long live the numbers game that is being played with the sole intention of securing a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha for the NDA, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
'...appearing culturally coercive or administratively vindictive.' 'If it governs as a conquering force, resistance will build.'
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has condemned the lynching of a Hindu man in Bangladesh and urged the Indian government to raise the issue of the safety of Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist minorities with the Bangladeshi government.
A couple has approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court alleging tampering of birth records and harassment following their interfaith marriage. They seek an independent probe into the matter.
'We also urge you to take steps to control the activities of groups, such as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh,' said the letter signed by 34 top American lawmakers.
A key United States Congressional committee has called for a public hearing on the rights and freedoms of religious minorities in India to be held early next month.
A 12-year-old girl, reported missing in Budgam district, Jammu and Kashmir, was found murdered near her home, prompting a police investigation and widespread condemnation.
A man in Bhopal was allegedly assaulted and paraded by a right-wing group for being with a woman from another community, leading to police investigation and community protests.
'In the (election) affidavit, he had declared Rs 1,400 crores as his assets. He has educational institutions, real estate, malls, etc.'
Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's deposed prime minister, has accused the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus of committing atrocities against non-Muslims and interfering with religious freedom.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed a thorough investigation into the POCSO case registered against Union Minister Bandi Sanjay Kumar's son, following allegations of sexual harassment of a minor girl. The CM has sought an explanation for the delay in action and ordered the DGP to form special teams for the investigation.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has declared a zero-tolerance policy towards vandalism and attacks on police personnel following violent protests in Kolkata. He warned of strict legal action and promised full government support for law enforcement.
West Bengal's Bharatiya Janata Party government has moved to institutionalise its "detect, delete and deport" policy by directing all district administrations to set up "holding centres" for suspected illegal foreigners and foreign prisoners awaiting repatriation -- a step that appeared to give administrative shape to one of the party's most potent political themes in the state.
The Allahabad High Court has requested the Uttar Pradesh government to respond to a petition filed by Ashutosh Maharaj, challenging the opening of his history sheet by the police. Maharaj, who is also involved in the Shahi Idgah-Krishna Janmabhoomi dispute, claims his name should be removed from the police surveillance register.
'This is a major rupture in Tamil Nadu's political order.' 'For the Dravidian parties, the message is clear: The old DMK-AIADMK binary is no longer guaranteed a future.'
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.
Parents in Bihar allege their children were wrongly accused of being trafficked and were instead travelling to madrassas for education, claiming religious bias in the case.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis reviewed key cases with the Home department and directed the police to ensure thorough investigation and strong prosecution.
