Page 48 - Religion Belief
SC refuses to withdraw judicial work from Meghalaya High Court judge over controversial remarks
The Supreme Court Friday refused to withdraw judicial work from Meghalaya High Court judge Justice Sudip Ranjan Sen who had created controversy by his remarks that India should have been declared a Hindu country at the time of partition in 1947. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjiv Khanna asked the petitioner, who has sought withdrawal of judicial work from Justice Sen, to amend the prayer and seek expunction of the controversial remarks in the judgment. Justice Sen had written in his judgement, "Pakistan declared themselves as an Islamic country and India since was divided on the basis of religion should have also been declared as a Hindu country but it remained as a secular country. "Even today, in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, the Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Christians, Parsis, Khasis, Jaintias and Garos are tortured and they have no place to go and those Hindus who entered India during partition are still considered as foreigners, which in
Religious practices should be 'respected': Smriti Irani on Sabarimala row
Amid a row over the entry of women of menstrual age into Sabarimala temple, Union Minister Smriti Irani said Friday that religious practices should be "respected" and anyone breaching them just to "make headlines" would do a great disservice to the country's diversity. She said this during an event on Delhi University campus in response to a question from a student on Irani's recent comments on the issue where she said that the right to pray did not mean the right to desecrate. "I speak from personal experience. And, I said that publicly when I made that comment.I am married to a Zoroastrian, i.e., a Parsi, and by law, I am not allowed (to enter fire temple). And, by law means not by the Constitution but by laws that govern that particular religious practice," she said. "Irrespective of how empowered I am, I am not allowed to enter a fire temple," Irani told a gathering of students at a business conclave event at Shri Ram College of Commerce here. The textile minister said her earlier
Security tight for Bangladesh 'mini-Hajj'
Security was tight Friday in Bangladesh as hundreds of thousands of people gathered for a Muslim gathering rivalling the Hajj in Mecca for size. The Biswa Ijtema, or the World Congregation, draws up to three million Muslims from Bangladesh and abroad on the banks of the river Turag at the factory town of Tongi. The annual gathering, which takes place some 25 kilometres north of Dhaka, was launched by the Tablig Jamaat group in 1964. However, tension has been running high ahead of this year's four-day event after violent clashes between two Bangladeshi rival factions left one person dead and dozens injured in December. The congregation, which is normally held in January, was postponed following the violence, prompting Bangladesh authorities to hold several rounds of meetings with rival factions to broker peace. Police said they would deploy hundreds of officers including many in plainclothes at the congregation ground to prevent any repeat of the clashes. "We have adequate ...
Sabarimala: Attaching impurity to menstruation, an abrasion: Kerala govt to SC
Attaching impurity to a woman during menstrual period is an abrasion to entire humanity, said Kerala government in a written submission in the Supreme Court on Sabarimala review petitions. "Attaching impurity to a woman during menstrual period is an abrasion to entire humanity and abhorrent to civilised society as menstruation is a natural process and is essential for procreation," the state submitted. Senior advocate Vijay Hansaria, on behalf of State of Kerala submitted that since there can be no human beings without women's menstruation "hence, argument for exclusion of women during menstruation period on ground of impurity is a worst kind of exclusionary practice and is an anathema to humanity itself apart from being stigmatic and oppressive". It also said that the protection under Article 26 of the Constitution to manage religious affairs was available only to "every religious denomination or section thereof" and not to devotees of a particular temple or deity. The written ...
Punjab Assembly passes resolution seeking SGPC polls
Despite opposition from the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), the Punjab Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution seeking to expedite elections to the cash-rich Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).
Kanchoth festival, symbol of ancient Nag culture, concluded in J&K's Doda
Dressed colourfully, women observed a fast and thronged temples in knee-deep snow to offer prayers on Wednesday, marking the conclusion of the week-long "Kanchoth festival", a symbol of the ancient Nag culture here. The age-old festival is celebrated across the hilly Chenab valley as Hindus believe that on this day of Gouri tritiya, Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati got married and the latter insisted on a throne made of snow as her wedding gift. Thus, snow during the festival is considered a good omen. The main programmes were reported from Kotli, Ghata, Khakhal, Gupt Ganga, Chinote, Chinchora and other temples of the area, officials said, adding that the festival was celebrated by married women to pray for the long life of their husbands. The locals have been demanding that this unique and colourful festival should be included in the tourism calendar by the Bhadarwah Development Authority and the tourism department.
Vatican, Microsoft team up on artificial intelligence ethics
The Vatican says it is teaming up with Microsoft on an academic prize to promote ethics in artificial intelligence. Pope Francis met privately on Wednesday with Microsoft President Brad Smith and the head of a Vatican scientific office that promotes Catholic Church positions on human life. The Vatican said Smith and Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia of the Pontifical Academy for Life told Francis about the international prize for an individual who has successfully defended a dissertation on ethical issues involving artificial intelligence. The winner will receive 6,000 euros ($6,900) and an invitation to Microsoft's Seattle headquarters. The Vatican says Smith discussed artificial intelligence "at the service of the common good" during the papal meeting. The theme of the Pontifical Academy' of Life's s 2020 plenary assembly is AI.
Swami Vivekananda statue unveiled in TN Raj Bhavan
A life-size statue of spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda was unveiled by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami at the Raj Bhavan here. Governor Banwarilal Purohit, who presided over the ceremony, said"Vivekananda was a symphony of many melodies... He was a yogi, nation maker, world builder, divine dreamer, man of action and many more." Referring to Vivekananda's iconic speech in the Parliament of Religions at Chicago in 1893,the Chief Minister said it attracted the attention of the entire world toward India. "I am proud to tell that it was Raja of Ramanathapuram Bhaskara Sethupathi who helped Vivekananda take part in the Parliament of Religions at Chicago over a century ago," he said after unveiling the nearly seven-foot-tall statue. Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said Vivekananda lived just for 39 years and but in such a short life learnt extensively about India's culture and heritage, about Hinduism. "...I am much happy being present on this occasion," he ...
Amit Shah takes dip at Kumbh, deliberates with saints
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah on Wednesday took a dip in the Sangam - the holy confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and Sarawasti - at Kumbhnagar in Prayagraj.
Shivraj Chouhan takes holy dip in Ganga at Kumbh mela
Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan along with his wife took a holy dip in river Ganga here on Tuesday during the Kumbh Mela.Kumbh Mela is the largest human congregation in the world, with over 130 million pilgrims expected to participate in the festival with the belief that taking a dip in the holy water of Ganges River will pave the way for their salvation and would rid them of their sins.BJP president Amit Shah will visit the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Wednesday to take a holy dip at the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers.The 55-day long Kumbh Mela will end on March 4.
US Southern Baptist churches embroiled in sex abuse scandal
The United States' largest Protestant denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, is facing a sexual abuse crisis after a bombshell report revealed hundreds of predators and more than 700 victims since 1998. The report by two Texas newspapers found some 380 church leaders and volunteers have faced public accusations of abuse, mostly of children as young as three years old. Some of the accused continued to work at Southern Baptist churches, the newspapers said. In response to the report, church officials acknowledged the number of victims could actually be higher and urged survivors to come forward. "One of the things I'm encouraged by are the number of pastors that are actively engaged right now," in the report's aftermath, convention leader Russell Moore told AFP on Tuesday. The revelations threatened to engulf the denomination -- with some 47,000 churches and 15 million members mostly in the southern US -- in the same type of scandal that has roiled the Catholic Church. A more ...
Centre to move Triple Talaq Bill in Rajya Sabha today
The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government which is keen to get parliamentary approval for the Triple Talaq Bill, will table it in the Rajya Sabha later today.Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will move The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill.The Triple Talaq Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on December 27 last year with 245 votes in favour and 11 against the Bill. The opposition parties want the Bill to be sent to the Select Committee of Parliament for further vetting, a demand rejected by the Centre.However, an ordinance was re-promulgated in January this year as the revised Bill could not be passed in the Rajya Sabha where the government lacks majority.The Bill criminalises the practice of instant triple talaq with a provision of three years imprisonment to the erring husband.The issue of triple talaq was taken up in the Parliament in August last year after a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court ruled "unconstitutional" a practice that allows Muslim men .
Church rift over Catholic stance on political situation
The Catholic Bishops Confernece of India (CBCI) council for Laity has launched a nationwide drive to formulate a Catholic stance on the current political situation in the country ahead of the general election, a move disputed by CBCI sources, saying the council of Laity is "not a representative of the Catholic body."
Former SL prez Rajapaksa prays at Lord Venkateswara temple
Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Tuesday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala here. He arrived here last night and offered worship to the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara early this morning, a temple official told PTI. He said it was a sudden visit and there was no advance official communique about Rajapaksa's arrival to the officials ofTirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) that governs the ancient shrine.
Church body for Catholic stance on political situation
The Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI) Council for Laity, one of the influential Christian bodies in the country, has launched a nationwide drive to formulate a Catholic stance on the current political situation in the country ahead of the general elections.
Amit Shah to attend Kumbh
BJP president Amit Shah will attend the Kumbh in Prayagraj on Wednesday, during which he will take a dip in the holy Sangam and meet various congregations of saints, a BJP statement said. First, Shah will go to the Sangam, which is the holy confluence of rivers Ganga and Yamuna, and offer his prayers, the statement issued on Tuesday said. He will be visiting various holy places and meet saints during his one-day visit, it added. Shah's visit assumes significance amid demands by various Hindutva groups for the government to bring in a law for the early construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya. The BJP chief has reiterated on multiple occasions his party's commitment to the cause of temple construction. The Ram temple title case is presently being heard in the Supreme Court.
Sabarimala temple opens for 5 days amidst tight security
Even as the Supreme Court is looking into numerous review petitions on its September 28 verdict on entry of women into Sabarimala temple, the temple opened amidst tight security at 5 p.m on Tuesday for the five-day-long Kumba pooja functions.
Thousands take holy dip near Konark on Magha Mela
Thousands of people took holy dip and offered prayers to the Sun God at Chandrabhaga beach near Konark of Puri district early Tuesday on the occasion of annual "Magha Mela" held on the Magha Saptami day. People take holy dip on the seventh day of the new moon of "Magha" month with a belief that it will cleanse their sins and get them rid of skin diseases. The day is also observed as the birthday of the Sun God. According to mythology, Lord Krishna's son Samba was cured of leprosy by offering prayer to the Sun God at the Chandrabhaga beach. The holy dip started after the completion of rituals at 4.10 am. Besides the Sun God, the devotees also worship Lord Shiva at the "bank" of presently non-existent Chandrabhaga river, about two kilometre from the Sun Temple at Konark, during the Magha Mela. In the festival, there is a ritual of preparing cooked rice, dried fish and 'dalma', a traditional food of the state, which is offered to mythological demon Arkasura. Earlier, Konark
Sabarimala temple reopens for monthly worship
Sabarimala temple, which grappled with a crisis over the entry of young women into the shrine after the Supreme Court verdict last year, reopened on Tuesday for monthly worship.The temple will be opened for five days for the monthly 'puja' in the monthly Malayalam month of Kumbhom.The state administration has deployed scores of police personnel in Pamba and surrounding areas in an attempt to avoid violence and unrest.The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests since October last year over the apex court's decision to quash restrictions on the entry of women between 10 and 50 into the holy shrine.Recently, the National Ayyappa Devotees Association (NADA) filed a petition for rehearing in Sabarimala case in the Supreme Court, citing that the devotees of Lord Ayyappa were not heard previously.Nearly four months after the top court permitted women of all ages to enter the temple on September 28 last year, two women aged below 50 entered the Lord Ayyappa ...
Kumbh succeeded in big way to send out message of sanitation to society: PM Modi
Kumbh Mela earlier used to be talked about only for Naga sadhu, saints and spiritual reasons, but this year's mega gathering has "succeeded in a big way" to send out a message of sanitation to the society, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Monday. Nearly 1.5 crore people gathered on Sunday for the third 'shahi snan' at the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati in Allahabad, even as the chill in the air failed to dampen the spirit of devotees. He was addressing a huge gathering, at an event in Vrindavan to mark the serving of the "3rd billionth meal" by the Akshaya Patra Foundation, a Bengaluru-based NGO which work with the government on mid-day meal scheme. "This year's Kumbh has succeeded in big way to send out a message of sanitation to society," he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, in his address, expressed his appreciation for Akshaya Patra for serving safe, hygienic meals to pilgrims at Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. Modi said, this is the "first ...