New Delhi, March 18 (IANS) A controversy erupted on Wednesday after Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan was asked to submit an affidavit if she wishes to seek blessings at the Badrinath and Kedarnath temples.
New Delhi: Freedom of religion and belief is among the most fundamental of human rights. It safeguards human dignity, allowing individuals to practice their faith without fear and enabling diverse communities to coexist peacefully. Nowhere is this principle more significant — and more contested — than in South Asia, a region that is home to some of the world’s oldest religions and an extraordinary mosaic of beliefs including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Christianity, and Sikhism. While most South Asian nations constitutionally seem to guarantee religious freedom, the lived reality for many minorities reveals a more troubling picture shaped by politics, historical grievances, and social tensions.
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award 2025, presented by the Government of India in the field of literature, was announced recently. This year, the honour in the Sanskrit category has been conferred upon the eminent scholar Mahamahopadhyaya Swami Bhadreshdasji for his monumental work "Prasthanachatushtaye Brahmaghosha."
New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) A video showing a group of people reportedly holding an iftar party on a boat in the middle of the Ganga River at Varanasi has gone viral on social media, triggering a police complaint after which 14 individuals were arrested.
Mumbai, March 17 (IANS) The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill-2026 was passed after a heated debate on late Monday night in the state Legislative Assembly. The ruling Mahayuti government strongly defended the necessity of the Bill to curb the unlawful and forced conversion, while cracks surfaced within the Maha Vikas Aghadi government after the Shiv Sena(UBT) extended its support, but other allies, including Congress, NCP(SP) and Samajwadi Party, opposed the bill.
Ankara, March 16 (IANS) The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged the Donald Trump administration to include Turkey on the Special Watch List (SWL) for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom pursuant to the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).
Gandhinagar, March 16 (IANS) The Gujarat government has begun extensive preparations for the upcoming Uttarvahini Panchkoshi Narmada Parikrama, scheduled to start on March 19 and continue until April 17.
Islamabad, March 16 (IANS) The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has urged the US government to redesignate Pakistan as a 'Country of Particular Concern', or CPC, for engaging in systematic, ongoing, and egregious violations of religious freedom, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).
Athens, March 14 (IANS) The Pakistani government has failed to act against abuses by its security and intelligence agencies, while allowing extremists to continue targetting religious minorities. The deadly suicide attack on a Shia mosque in Islamabad last month, killing 36 members of the Shia community leaving another 170 injured, highlighted the ongoing insecurity faced by minority Muslim communities in Pakistan, a report has highlighted.
Lucknow, March 13 (IANS) Authorities across several parts of the country, including Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttar Pradesh, have stepped up security arrangements ahead of Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, as thousands of devotees gather in mosques and markets to mark the occasion with prayers and reflection.
