Page 25 - Religion Belief
Don't vote for communal candidates: Goa Archbishop
A week after a Goa Catholic priest apologised to the poll authorities for a hate speech urging people not to vote for the BJP, Goa's Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao on Saturday urged voters not to cast their ballot for those candidates who "corrupt, communalize, exploit and divide".
Foundation stone laid for 1st Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi
The historic foundation stone-laying ceremony of the first traditional Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi was performed on Saturday in the presence of officials from India and the United Arab Emirates as well as thousands of members of the community.
Amit Shah takes out massive roadshow in Pathnamthitta
BJP president Amit Shah Saturday took out a massive roadshow in Pathnamthitta, which had witnessed frenzied protests over the Sabarimala temple women entry issue last year. Shah, who was seen waving to the crowd, is here to give a last-minute push to the BJP-NDA's campaign in the constituency where the saffron party has fielded K Surendran, who was arrested in connection with the violence during the protests. Thousands of saffron party followers, including women, are participating in the roadshow. Kerala had witnessed massive protests after the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF government decided to implement the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all age groups to offer prayers at the hill shrine. Earlier children and women in the 10-50 age group were banned from the Sabarimala agitation. The constituency is witnessing a fierce triangular contest between the ruling CPI(M)-LDF, Opposition Congress-UDF and the BJP-NDA. LDF has fielded Veena George, its Aranmula MLA, eyeing the .
Congress leader S. Krishna joins BJP in Kerala
In a major jolt to the Congress, the party's three-time MP from Kollam in Kerala, S. Krishna Kumar, on Saturday joined the BJP here.
Indians rejoice as foundation stone layed for first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi
Thousands of Indians on Saturday rejoiced and participated in the foundation stone laying ceremony of the first Hindu temple in UAE's capital Abu Dhabi. Mahant Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar-Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), which is constructing the temple, presided over the four-hour ceremony following which sanctified bricks were placed at the main pooja sthal (place of worship). Indian Ambassador to UAE Navdeep Suri read out Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the occasion, congratulating the Gulf nation for this initiative. On behalf of 130 crore Indians, it is my privilege to convey our greetings to my dear friend and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Suri quoted Prime Minister Modi as saying. When complete, this temple will symbolise the universal human values and spiritual ethos that form a shared heritage of both India and the UAE, he said. Suri said that the temple embodies the ...
Ex-Mumbai Commissioner condemns Sadhvi Pragya's remarks on Hemant Karkare
Former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Ribeiro, on Saturday condemned Pragya Singh Thakur's remarks on Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) chief Hemant Karkare, who was killed in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and said her idea of Hinduism is not in sync with teachings of Hindu deities Lord Rama and Krishna."A good Hindu is one who does his duty. I think Sadhvi Pragya's idea of Hinduism is different. To curse a person who has done his duties responsibly is not a Hinduism.""Her statement was not in line with the teachings of Hindu gods like Lord Rama and Krishna," he added.Sadhvi Pragya, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case had recently claimed that Karkare died because she had "cursed" him.She further claimed that Karkare had tortured her while she was in in prison. Notably, it was Karkare's team which led the investigation team which arrested her."He tortured me and subjected me to harsh abuse which was unbearable. I told him he will be destroyed. A little over a month ...
Thousands to attend foundation stone laying ceremony of first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi
Thousands of followers are expected to attend the foundation stone laying ceremony of the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, according to a media report. The four-hour ceremony will begin in the presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the religious and social organisation constructing the temple. The preparations are in place for the 'Shilanyas Vidhi' (foundation stone laying ceremony) of the stone temple at Abu Mureikha, the Khaleej Times reported. The main ceremony will see the priests sanctify pink sandstones that will be used to set foundation of the temple. All these stones are transported from Indian state of Rajasthan. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Sheikh Nahyan Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance, will attend the programme along with social and spiritual leaders from across the world. Sheikh Nahyan received Swami Maharaj and his delegation of Hindu ..
Communal politics takes centrestage in WB as TMC, BJP fight for supremacy
West Bengal, where the electoral discourse has largely steered clear of communal politics, has been drawn into the vortex with the TMC and the BJP accusing each other of resorting to polarisation to get a larger share of the pie in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. A minor player in the state till a few years ago, the BJP is emerging as the new opposition, pushing the once formidable Left and the Congress to the fringes. The saffron party holds only one assembly seat and two of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in West Bengal, where ideology and people's problems have traditionally been the poll planks, but hopes to better its tally this time. BJP president Amit Shah has set a target of 23 seats for the party in the state where the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) has held power since 2011. Admitting that religion and caste have pervaded West Bengal politics, veteran TMC leader and state Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee held the BJP responsible for the import and asserted that his party .
18 year-old missing boy found dead in Delhi park
A 18-year-old boy on Friday died after a stone was thrown at him in a park situated in capital's Krishna Nagar.The deceased identified as Arman had gone missing on Friday late evening. Her relatives filed his missing complaint at the local police station.The boy's body was recovered from a park in Krishna Nagar this morning.The body was sent for post-mortem and police added that an investigation is underway.
Churches decorated as Bengal observes Good Friday
Churches in West Bengal witnessed a flood of the devout on the occasion of Good Friday spreading a message of peace, tolerance and forgiveness.
BJP leader booked for 'anti-Muslim' remarks in UP
An FIR was registered against a BJP leader on Friday for his controversial statements against Muslims. "A case has been registered against BJP leader Ranjit Bahadur Srivastava for violation of model code of conduct. A probe is on in the matter," Additional Superintendent of Police R S Gautam said. Addressing a gathering on Thursday as BJP candidate Upendra Rawat filed his nomination papers from Barabnki Lok Sabha constituency, Srivastava asked people to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "break the morale of Muslims". "Muslims want to grab power with their votes but they will not succeed. It's the right time for Hindus to unite," the former Nagar Palika Chairman added.
Case fabricated, willing to end public life if proved guilty:
BJP Kerala President P S Sreedharan Pillai Friday said the police case against him alleging anti-Islam remarks was fabricated and he was prepared to end his public life if found guilty. Talking to reporters at the Kozikode Press Club here, Pillai wanted to know if the complainant in the case, CPI(M) leader and MLA V Sivankutty was prepared to apologise and end his public life if the case later turned out to be false. "I did not utter even a single word to incite communal enmity and had only said things relating to inquest procedures", he said. There is a conspiracy between officials and the Left parties and they think that BJP leaders can be destroyed by registering false cases, which is a "pipe dream", he said. Police had registered a case against Pillai under Sections 153 and 153 A of the Indian Penal Code on a complaint of Sivankutty. Section 153 A deals with 'Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, .
Christian pilgrims march through Jerusalem for Good Friday
Thousands of Christian pilgrims and clergy members marched through the ancient stone alleys of Jerusalem's Old City, retracing Jesus' path to crucifixion in observation of Good Friday. The faithful carried wooden crosses high on their shoulders and sang hymns to mark one of Christianity's most solemn and sacred days. The confluence of Good Friday and the Jewish holiday of Passover this year led to flocks of tourists and a festive atmosphere in the holy city. Worshippers from all over the world marched slowly along the Via Dolorosa, the cobblestone path that cuts through the limestone-walled Old City, where tradition says Jesus bore the cross to his crucifixion. The pilgrims stopped at several points on the way, re-enacting symbolic moments from Jesus' story. The procession culminates at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Catholic and Orthodox Christians believe Jesus was buried before his resurrection on what is celebrated as Easter Sunday. Meanwhile Friday, Jewish residents were
Kerala CM accuses Modi of levelling 'false' charges
: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the LDF government in Kerala over various issues, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Friday accused him of making "false" charges against the state and said such remarks were "unbecoming" of his position. Countering Modi's charge that cases would be registeredin Kerala if anyone utters the God's name, Vijayan challenged the Prime Minister to point out any single such case. "It is unfortunate that such an untruthful and concocted campaign has been unleashed by the Prime Minister. Such charges, which had no connection with the truth, is unbecoming of his position," he said in an article released to media. The cases registered in the state in connection with the Sabarimala agitation were not for uttering the name of the God, but to unleash violence, he said. In the detailed article, the CPI(M) veteran also rejected Modi's charges that devotees were not allowed to follow their rituals and poojas in the southern ...
Characters from Mahabharat abound UP voter list
The ongoing Lok Sabha elections may not be a Mahabharat in the true sense of the term, but characters from the epic abound the voter list in Uttar Pradesh.
Yogi visits Hanuman temple before resuming campaigning after EC's three-day ban
After completion of three day ban on election campaigning, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Friday visited the historic Hanuman Setu temple in Aliganj area here before resuming the poll battle. The Chief Minister drove to the Aliganj temple and offered 'prasad' on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti this morning, BJP sources said. Soon after the EC ban imposed on him for likening the ongoing Lok Sabha polls to a contest between 'Ali' and 'Bajrang Bali', the Chief Minister had also prayed at the famous temple on Tuesday. He had also visited temples in Ayodhya and Varanasi during the ban period for darshan and pujas. The Election Commission on April 15 barred Adityanath from campaigning for 72 hours starting 6 am on April 16 for his "divisive" comments at a rally in Meerut. "If the Congress, the Samajwadi Party and the BSP have faith in Ali, we too have faith in Bajrang Bali," he had said there.
Christians in Kerala observe Good Friday
Christians in Kerala on Friday were out in large numbers and local hurches were overflowing as they participated in the Good Friday mass.
Maharashtra: EC files complaint against Milind Deora for violating MCC
The Maharashtra State Election Commission on Friday filed a complaint against Mumbai Congress president Milind Deora for violating Model Code of Conduct (MCC), weeks after his remarks on 'Jain religion'.On April 4, Deora, while addressing an event at Zhaveri Bazar, accused Shiv Sena of hurting religious sentiments of Jain followers. The Mumbai Congress president urged the community to teach them a lesson by not giving them vote in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections."Shiv Sena has been against the minorities. A few years ago, the party insulted the Jain religion by cooking meat outside Jain temples during Paryushana festival. Remember, you have to teach them a lesson through your votes," he had said at an event.Later, one of the Shiv Sena candidates complained to the EC stating that the allegations made by Deora were "false and are religiously sensitive". Following which, the EC looked into the matter and now it has asked the police to register an FIR.Paryushana, an annual event where ...
Lakhs of devotees witness Lord Kallazhagar entering Vaigai
Over two lakh devotees witnessed the entry of Lord Kallazhagar into Vaigai River here Friday as part of the 20-day long annual Chithirai festival. The devotees occupied the Vaigai riverbed from all directions to get a view of the entry of the idol of Lord Kallazhagar of the nearby famous Azhagarkoil temple draped in green silk cloth as has been the tradition. Special abhishekams were performed Thursday night to the idol of the Lord which was brought from Alagarkoil, a hill temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu, 20 kms from here. As per legend, the Lord comes to Madurai to attend the celestial marriage of his sister Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareswarar. As he reached the Vaigai river bank, the Lord learnt that the marriage was over and hence returns.
Extreme Easter: Flogging, crucifixions in Philippines
Hundreds of barefoot men beat themselves with flails and at least 10 were to be nailed onto crosses throughout Good Friday in a blood-soaked display of religious fervour in the Philippines. Frowned upon by the Church, the ritual crucifixions and self-flagellation are extreme affirmations of faith performed every Easter in Asia's Catholic outpost. Barefoot men wearing crowns of twigs walked silently on the side of a village road in the scorching tropical heat of the northern Philippines, flogging their backs with bamboo strips tied to a length of rope. While many of the 80 million Filipino Catholics spend Good Friday at church or with family, others go to these extreme lengths to atone for sins or seek divine intervention in a spectacle that has become a major tourist attraction. "This is a religious vow. I will do this every year for as long as I am able," 38-year-old truck driver Resty David, who has been self-flagellating for half his life at his village in the northern Philippines,
