Religious Controversy

The Supreme Court on Wednesday took serious exception to hate speeches and said the moment politics and religions are separated and politicians stop using religion in politics, such speeches will go away. The top court said hate speeches are being made by fringe elements and people should restrain themselves. A bench of justices KM Joseph and BV Nagarathna referred to speeches of former prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Atal Bihari Vajpayee, saying people from remote areas and nook and corner used to gather to hear them. Wondering against how many people can courts initiate contempt action, the bench said why cannot the people of India take a pledge to not vilify other citizens or communities. "Everyday fringe elements are making speeches to vilify others including on TV and public forums," the bench said while hearing a contempt petition against various state authorities for failing to register FIRs against those making hate speeches. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also pointe

The Supreme Court on Monday said it would hear on February 3 a batch of pleas challenging controversial state laws regulating religious conversions due to interfaith marriages. A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala noted that a transfer plea was mentioned in the morning. "We can list it, issue notice and hear it together. The transfer petition will also be numbered by then. The attorney general can also examine. We will hear all on Friday," the bench said. During the brief hearing, senior advocate CU Singh, appearing in the court on behalf of NGO "Citizens for Justice and Peace" of activist Teesta Setalwad, submitted that people cannot get married due to these state laws and the situation is very grave. Attorney General R Venkataramani submitted that these are state legislations that have been challenged before the apex court and the high courts concerned should hear the cases. The top court had earlier asked the parties challen

Observing that religious conversion is a serious issue which should not be given a political colour, the Supreme Court on Monday sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani on a plea seeking direction to the Centre and states to take stringent steps to control fraudulent religious conversions. A bench of Justices M R Shah and C T Ravikumar asked Venkataramani to appear in the matter in which the petitioner sought a check on religious conversions through "intimidation, threatening, deceivingly luring through gifts and monetary benefits", and assist as amicus curiae. "We want your assistance also, AG. Religious conversions by force, allurement etc. There are ways and ways, anything by allurement, if that is happening, when what should be done? What are the corrective measures?" the bench said. At the outset, senior advocate P Wilson, appearing for Tamil Nadu, called the petition a "politically motivated" PIL, insisting there was no question of such conversions in the ...

Noted economist and Nobel laureate Amartya Sen has said that there is a need to "build trust" to overcome "terrible misunderstandings" among people of different religions. Sen, who was in Kolkata to attend a private function organised for school children by his trust -- Pratichi -- also said that "ignorance and illiteracy" have led to some of these differences. "We live in a world where terrible misunderstandings are very common between religions... We have all kinds of differences. Some of the differences come from illiteracy and ignorance," Sen said, speaking at the event arranged by 'Pratichi Trust' in collaboration with another organisation, 'Know Your Neighbour'. "(There is a) need for building trust. If a Muslim gentleman takes a different view, we need to ask the question, why is he taking a different view?" Sen said. The economist, to put across his point that views may differ from one person to another, referred to an incident when he had taken his daughter Antara for a ..

Terming forced religious conversion a "very serious" issue, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the Centre to step in and make sincere efforts to check the practice. It also warned a "very difficult situation" will emerge if forced religious conversions are not stopped. A bench of Justices M R Shah and Hima Kohli asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to enumerate measures to curb the practice through allurement. "This is a very serious matter. Sincere efforts are to be made by the Centre to stop forced conversions. Otherwise very difficult situation will come. Tell us what action do you propose....You have to step in. "It is a very serious issue which affects security of the nation and freedom of religion and conscience. Therefore, it is better that Union of India may make their stand clear and file counter on what further steps can be taken to curb such forced conversion," the bench said. The apex court was hearing a plea filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking direction t

Two groups clashed and hurled stones at each other over putting up a religious flag in Savli town in Gujarat's Vadodara district, a police official said on Monday, adding 36 people have been arrested. The incident occurred on Saturday night after a group of people objected to members of another community trying to put up a religious flag alongside their flag on an electricity pole in Dhamiji ka Dera locality, a Savli police station official said. "The matter escalated and both the communities started hurling stones at each other. Nobody was injured but a vehicle and a shop were damaged by rioters," said Savli police station sub-inspector, AR Mahida. Cross First Information Reports (FIRs) were lodged by both the groups on late Saturday night, following which a case was registered for rioting, unlawful assembly, rash act endangering human life etc of the Indian Penal Code against 43 people, Mahida said. A total of 36 people from both communities have been arrested so far, he ...

A top cleric from the Lucknow-based Majlis-e-Ulema-e-Hind has condemned the remarks made by suspended BJP MLA Raja Singh against Prophet Mohammad and urged the Centre to make the laws more stringent

For months, protests against the hijab have been gaining traction in Iran. Human rights foundations had urged women to use '#No2Hijab' on social media, along with the videos

Filmmaker Leena Manimekalai and 10 others have been booked for allegedly inciting religious feelings, the state police said on Saturday, amid a controversy over a poster of documentary "Kaali"

Tension prevailed in Bihar's Arrah town on Wednesday after a clash between members of two communities over a Facebook post supporting suspended BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma's controversial remarks

The Delhi Police has registered a case in connection with the controversial poster of a documentary Kaali, officials said

Manimekalai shared a poster where Goddess Kaali was seen smoking in the background and was also seen holding a pride flag of the LGBTQ community

The Varanasi court on Monday adjourned till July 12 hearing in the Gyanvapi case.

Expressing deep concern over the brutal Udaipur murder, All India Imam Organisation's (AIIO) Chief Imam, Dr Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi on Thursday appealed to the government for the trial of the evil-doers by a fast-track court for the maximum punishment.

A senior Congress leader on Friday said that suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma whose remarks over Prophet Muhammad sparked nationwide protests is just a "scapegoat"

Sacked BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma skipped appearance on Monday before Narkeldanga police station here, which had sent her a notice over her controversial remarks against Prophet Mohammed

Suspended BJP leader Nupur Sharma on Monday sought four week's time to appear before the Kolkata Police in connection with her recent controversial comments on Prophet Muhammad.

The Supreme Court Friday observed that ascertaining the religious character of a place of worship is not barred under the Places of Worship Act of 1991. A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and PS Narasimha made the important observation during an hour-long hearing of the Gyanvapi mosque dispute and said that it has dealt with provisions of the Places of Worship Act in its 2019 Ayodhya verdict and section 3 does not expressly bar ascertaining of the religious character of the place of worship. We have dealt with the provisions in our Ayodhya verdict. The ascertainment of the religious character of the place of worship is not expressly barred, the bench said and also clarified that it is not its opinion but is in dialogue with the parties. Justice Chandrachud, who made the observation, was also part of the five-judge bench that delivered its verdict on the Ayodhya dispute in 2019. The judge said, Suppose there is an Agiyari (a Parsi fire temple) and there is a Cross in ..

TMS Ep175: IT pay hike, 5G & 6G launch, markets, Places of Worship Act

Will higher pay be the new norm in IT sector? Are we prepared to roll out next-gen mobile networks? Has the crash in mid, small-caps bottomed out? What is Places of Worship Act, 1991? Answers here

On Friday, CM Sawant at a function in Bicholim in North Goa had said that religious conversions were on the rise in Goa