Wednesday, December 30, 2020
Saturday, November 21, 2020
Mathura: Two sadhus die under mysterious circumstances
Two sadhus died under mysterious circumstances while the third was admitted to a hospital for treatment after they consumed tea at their lodging facility, police said here on Saturday.
While 60-year-old Gulab Singh died on the spot, Sadhu Shyam Sundar (61) was declared brought dead by doctors of at the district hospital. The third person is undergoing treatment at the hospital.
The post-mortem of the deceased is being carried out by a panel of doctors while the forensic team is collecting evidence, police said.
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Allahabad HC gives verdict that Religious conversion just for sake of marriage is illegal
The Allahabad High Court has said in a case that conversion just for the sake of marriage is not valid.
The court made the remark while dismissing a plea by a newly married couple. The couple had approached the court to direct police and the woman's father not to disturb their marital life. Justice MC Tripathi passed the order last month in a petition filed by Priyanshi alias Samreen and her partner.
Dismissing the petition, the court observed, "The first petitioner has converted her religion on June 29, 2020 and just after one month, they have solemnised their marriage on July 31, 2020, which clearly reveals to this court that the said conversion has taken place only for the purpose of marriage."
The court cited the Noor Jahan Begum case decision and mentioned that religious conversion for the sake of marriage is not valid. In the cited case, Hindu girls had converted to Islam to marry Muslim men.
In the Noor Jahan Begum case, court had cited Hadith of the Quran and said that without belief, religion could not be changed. The girls who convert to Islam for marrying Muslim men in a way are using religious conversion as a gimmick to do an inter-faith marriage.
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Faridabad: Woman Killed For Refusing to Convert and Marry a Muslim Man
A Hindu woman was killed in broad daylight by a Muslim man for refusing to marry him after converting into Islam. The man first tried to abduct the woman; but when she resisted and he was not successful in abduction, he shot her dead. The man is an MLA's cousin.
Both the men allegedly involved in the murder have been arrested and the main accused has been identified as Tausif, police said on Tuesday. The other accused has been identified as Rehan, a resident of Nuh in Haryana.
Meanwhile, the family of the woman has linked the killing of the 21-year-old to so-called 'love jihad'. The family claimed that the woman was attacked outside her college by a man who was infatuated with her while the other accused is his associate.
The 21-year-old's kin said a case had been filed by the family against the main accused in 2018, but the matter was settled later. Haryana Police Commissioner told India Today, “In 2018, Nikita's family filed a kidnapping case against Tausif but the family later said they did not want to take action. We have arrested accused Tausif now.”
Tuesday, September 29, 2020
Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh: Nandi Idol Vandalised
Unknown miscreants attacked a Hindu temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Agara Mangalam village in Gangadhara Nellore Mandal of Chittoor district.
According to an ANI report, the Nandi idol in the temple was found broken near its pedestal on the Sunday (27 September) morning. The police has started the investigation.
The event comes in a long series of attacks on Hindu temples in Andhra Pradesh. Just this year, several incidents have occurred which brought devotees to the streets in protest.
Monday, September 28, 2020
Gazipur, Bangladesh: Idols of Hindu deities in a Kali Mandir vandalised
Idols of Hindu deities were vandalised at the Kali Mandir in Dakkhin Salna area in Gazipur city of Bangladesh, reported Dhaka Tribune.
Speaking on the act of desecration, Gazipur Sadar police station OC Alamgir Hossain Bhuiyan informed that unknown miscreants barged into the temple in the wee hours of the night and desecrated the idols of four Hindu deities. On the following day, Hindu worshippers found the heads of the idols lying on the ground. The police informed that an investigation has been initiated into the matter but no accused has been arrested till now. A police official stated that higher officials had visited the crime scene.
Human rights activist Pradip Chandra posted images of the vandalised idols on Twitter. He wrote, “Attack on a Hindu Temple And vandalized all of the deities at Gazipur, Dhaka, Bangladesh.”
Sunday, September 27, 2020
Andhra Pradesh: 6 Thieves Held for Stealing from Hindu Temples
A six-member gang, which was allegedly involved in a series of thefts at temples in Visakhapatnam and in Vizianagaram districts, was arrested by the Vizianagaram police on Sunday. All the accused are aged between 21 and 24 years.
The arrested were identified as T. Veerababu, M. Nagarajuna, M. Dhanaraju, S.. Sai, A. Chiranjeevi and G. Eswara Rao, all hailing from various places in Visakhapatnam and Vizianagaram districts. Twenty-seven cases in which the accused were allegedly involved are under Pending Trial (P.T).
Addressing a press conference at the District Police Office here, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Visakha Range) L.K.V. Ranga Rao said that on September 23, unidentified miscreants had entered a temple and stole a hundi. On the same night, they tried to commit a theft at another temple at Dasannapeta. A special team was formed, under the guidance of Mr. Ranga Rao, following the series of temple thefts.
Saturday, September 26, 2020
England: Plan for Hindu temple made out of shipping containers is recommended for approval
Plans for a temple and community hall made out of shipping containers in Tattenhoe have been recommended for approval at a meeting next week.
Some 470 comments were sent to Milton Keynes Council about the plan for grassland east of St Agnes Way, with 319 writing in support, and 142 against.
There has also been a petition against the scheme signed by more than 700 people, and opposition from Shenley Brook End and Tattenhoe Parish Council.
Objectors claim that the Hindu temple would make traffic problems in the residential area worse, especially when it attracts up to 300 people to occasional events.
As for the shipping container design, council officers say: “Whilst the proposed building and its materials are unconventional it is modern and innovative and consistent with Milton Keynes reputation as an ambitious, forward thinking city.”
Mathura: Court Approached to Reclaim Shri Krishna's Birth Place
A civil suit was filed before the court of civil judge, senior division, Mathura, on behalf of child deity Bhagwan Shri Krishna Virajman, seeking the removal of the Shahi Idgah, adjacent to the Shri Krishna temple complex at Mathura.
Ranjana Agnihotri, a resident of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, has filed the suit.
The UP Sunni Central Waqf Board and the Committee of Management of Trust of Shahi Idgah have been arraigned as defendants in the suit.
The suit seeks recovery of 13.37 acres of land situated within the area of the temple.
The suit claims that the trust, with the help of some Muslims, encroached upon the land belonging to Shri Krishna Janamasthan Trust and the deity, and erected a structure.
It was also claimed that Shri Krishna Janamsthan Seva Sansthan, which is the governing body of the temple complex, entered into an illegal compromise with the Shahi Idgah trust with a view to grab the property in question.
“The Shree Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan is working against the interest of the deity and devotees and fraudulently entered into a compromise with the Committee of Management of Trust Masjid Idgah (Trust) in 1968 conceding a considerable portion of property belonging to the deity and the trust,” the suit said.
The civil judge, Mathura, passed a judgement on the suit regarding the alleged “compromise between the Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan and the Trust” on July 20, 1973.
The present suit has now prayed for “cancelling this judgement”.
What may, however, act as a legal bar to this new suit would be the law passed in 1991: Places of Worship (Special Provisions Act). This law was passed at the height of Ram Janmabhoomi dispute and seeks to protect all religious structures as they existed at the time of Independence with the exception of the disputed site at Ayodhya.
Friday, September 11, 2020
Mandya, Karnataka: 3 Priests Brutally Murdered And Temple Robbed
Three priests were found brutally murdered in the courtyard of Sri Arakeshwara Temple at Guttalu on the outskirts of Mandya city on Friday morning.
The bodies of the priests, identified as Ganesh, Prakash and Anand, were found in a pool of blood with their heads crushed with boulders. The bodies were spotted by the villagers after they found the temple door open.
The three used to sleep on the premises for security of the temple and its property, the police stated.Police is suspecting that robbery could be the motive behind these murders as the three hundis were moved outside the temple premises and the offerings, mainly cash, was looted. The emptied kanike hundis (money collection boxes) were found outside the temple.
The killers had managed to escape with the cash in the three hundi boxes leaving behind only coins of various denominations, which are found spilled near hundis. Police said that before escaping, the miscreants also ransacked the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in search of more valuables and cash.
Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Andhra Pradesh: Multiple Attacks on Hindus and Hindu Temples; TDP Chief N Chandrababu Naidu Demands CBI Probe
Demanding a CBI inquiry into the 20 attacks on Hindu religion in the State during the last 16 months, the TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu criticised that all these were State-sponsored, in a statement on Wednesday. He alleged that the governance of Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy encouraged these attacks on Hindu worship places, including the recent Antarvedi chariot burning.
Naidu referred to how sacred chariots of temples were burnt to ashes while priests were coming under attack even as the propagation of other religions was being allowed under the present management of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams. Even the historic Simhachalam Temple Board was illegally taken over, he said. "Under the tyrannical YSRCP ruling, people of AP are now fearful of a continuous state-sponsored attack on their faiths. More than 20 such attacks have occurred", he said.
From charring of sacred chariots at Antarvedi and Bitragunta to the idols being demolished at Pithapuram, there appears to be a pattern in these incidents. There were also attacks on priests like in the Devarampadu incident. Concerns were there on the propagation of other religions under the management of TTD. On the other hand, there was an illegal takeover of the Simhachalam temple board. In all these aspects, there seems to be a pattern, he added.
Sunday, September 6, 2020
USA: South Sacramento Hindu Temple Burglarized
The Sacramento Police Department said officers are investigating a burglary that occurred overnight at a Hindu temple in South Sacramento.
Authorities confirmed a man trespassed onto the Hari Om Mandir temple property on La Mancha Way, broke into a car and attempted to enter the temple.
Sacramento police said the temple reported the incident as a hate crime but the department said the investigation is currently moving forward as a burglary investigation.
Officers said they will be looking into the possibility of this being a hate crime.
Sunday, August 23, 2020
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Pakistan: Hindu Girl Forcefully Converted to Islam and Married to Muslim Man
Dainik Jagran, New Delhi, 24-06-2020
Sunday, June 21, 2020
Thursday, June 18, 2020
Odisha: Jagannath Puri Ratha Yatra halted after 285 years; Hindus Allege Conspiracy
The Supreme Court’s decision, to not allow the annual Rath Yatra next week due to the coronavirus pandemic, has drawn flak from priests of the temple as well as opposition leaders, who slammed the State government over its alleged half-hearted approach in the apex court.
Following a petition filed by an NGO called Odisha Vikash Parishad, a three-judge SC bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde said it would not be appropriate to hold the Rath Yatra this year.
This is the first time after 285 years that the Rath Yatra would not be held. The last time the car festival could not be held was between 1733 and 1735 when Mohammed Taqi Khan, deputy governor of Odisha, attacked the Jagannath temple, forcing the shifting of the idols to Ganjam district.
Senior lawyer Harish Salve, appearing for Odisha, submitted that the conduct of the festival might lead to a huge public gathering and a law and order situation, but he never mentioned any alternative way to pull the chariots. The Orissa High Court last week advised the state government to consider holding the Rath Yatra with elephants or machines, instead of humans, pulling the chariots. But this suggestion did not figure during the deliberations in the apex court.
The state cabinet headed by CM Naveen Patnaik this evening decided that it will abide by the order given by the Supreme Court on the Rath Yatra.
The SC order and the state Cabinet decision, left not just millions of devotees fuming, but the priests shocked.
Senior servitor Binayak Das Mohapatra alleged that a conspiracy was being hatched against the Rath Yatra. “All preparations for the centuries-old annual festival have been wasted. It was an elaborate drama by the state government to hoodwink the devotees. What had not happened in the last 5 centuries became a reality today. The PIL was a state-sponsored act to not let the festival happen,” he alleged.
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
History: When Ramakrishna Mission Went to Supreme Court
Once upon a time, Ramakrishna Mission tried to get listed as a minority institution by calling them not a Hindu organization. Here are some articles about this:
How Ramakrishna Mission betrayed Swami Vivekanda and Hindus?
Ramkrishna Mission's non-Hindu claim causes dismay among many of its followers
Why did the Ramakrishna Mission say they are not Hindus
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
UP: Stricter Law Against Cow Slaughter With 10 Years Imprisonment
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday approved an ordinance penalising cow slaughter with jail terms ranging from one year to 10 years and fines between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said the UP Prevention of Cow Slaughter (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, also has a provision that allows authorities to paste pictures of the accused in their neighbourhoods or a prominent public place if they go on the run.
Under the provisions of the ordinance, authorities can charge the driver as well as the owner of the vehicle used to transport beef in an unauthorised manner.
This violation also carries a fine between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 3 lakh. Those who violate provisions related to slaughter face up to 10 years and penalties between Rs 3 lakh and Rs 5 lakh.
Those found guilty of an offence for the second time will face double the punishment proposed under the ordinance.
Anantnag: Kashmiri Pandit Sarpanch Killed by Terrorists
Ashok Pandita, sarpanch of the Larkipora area in Anantnag district was shot at by terrorists in his native village at around 6 pm on Monday, a police official had said.
Union minister Jitendra Singh condoled the killing of Pandita and said it is a 'desperate attempt' by anti-national elements to defeat the process of grassroots democracy in the Union Territory.
Detailed news and source: Rediff
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Hoshiarpur, Punjab: Sadhu Attacked and Injured by Two Men
On Friday, a Hindu Sadhu named Swami Pushpendra Swaroop was attacked and injured by two assailants at his ashram in Hoshiarpur, Punjab. He was resting alone around 10 pm when the duo climbed the wall, entered the ashram, and attacked Swami Pushpendra with sharp-edged weapons.
He was then rushed to a local hospital. The Sadhu informed the police that the unidentified assailants tied his hands and feet, prior to attacking him. The duo also tried to strangle him, before fleeing the crime scene with ₹50,000 and some other items from the Ashram. “I pleaded them to spare my life and take the money instead. But, they continued to injure me”, Swami Puspendra recounted. He was also hit on his head with a weapon that aggravated his injuries.
According to reports, the condition of the seer remains critical.
Friday, May 22, 2020
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Sunday, May 17, 2020
Congress Party is eying Hindu temples gold
Congress Party member and former CM of Maharashtra, Prithviraj Chavan has demanded that government should take over “One trillion dollars worth of gold” lying with various Devasthans (Hindu temples) during the current economic crisis! These gold have been donated by Hindus to the temples over the past several generations. [Ref: PGurus]
The above demand deserves to be strongly condemned. It has long been argued that temple donations in Hindu temples should be utilized properly for the benefit of Hindus all across India. But on the other hand, governments run by pseudo secular parties have been taking over temple funds for miscellaneous usage.
For example, when Kashmiri Pandits and Hindus were driven out of Kashmir, why were Hindu temple trusts all across our country not allowed to contribute money so that these people could be helped? Kashmiri Pandits became refugees inside our own country and there are scores of Kashmiri Pandits still living in refugee camps. Why should not be temple funds used to help them?
The problem is that most of the big Hindu temples are controlled by government and hence politicians are controlling how temples would spend the donation funds.
Congress party should stop eyeing Hindu temple funds and it should stop showing anti-Hindu tendencies regularly.
Saturday, May 16, 2020
Bangladesh: Hindu Temple Vandalised
Unknown miscreants vandalized and looted a Hindu temple before desecrating an idol of a goddess in Rangamati district town on Tuesday night.
The incident took place at Sree Sree Mogdeswari temple and it came to light on Wednesday morning, when a member of the temple committee went there to clean it, said Kabir Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali police station.
He said the gold ornaments on the idol and money from the donation box of the temple were looted.
Locals staged a demonstration in front of the temple protesting the incident.
Source: DT
Friday, May 15, 2020
Palghar Lynching Case: Lawyer Representing Victims Dies in Car Accident
A day after the Maharashtra Police arrested 18 more people in connection to the Palghar lynching case, one of the lawyers who was handling the case was killed in a car accident.
Advocate Digvijay Trivedi, who was a part of the legal team representing the VHP sadhus killed in last month’s mob lynching case, was on Wednesday morning travelling with co-counsel Preeti Trivedi in a car on Mumbai-Ahmedabad national highway (NH 48) when the incident took place.
Digvijay was killed on the spot, while his colleague Preeti Trivedi was taken to the nearby hospital in critical condition.
Speculations were that it could be a premeditated attack. The VHP has reportedly demanded CID to probe into the matter. Further investigation is underway.
Details: India.com
Thursday, May 14, 2020
Pakistan: Minor Hindu girl abducted and forcibly converted to Islam
A minor Hindu girl was abducted and forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan by Islamic cleric Mian Mithoo.
The controversial cleric can be seen forcing the minor girl to embrace Islam in a viral video. The minor Hindu girl, Kavita Kumari, was recently abducted from the Ghotki area of Sindh province. The video was shared by Pakistani human rights activist Rahat Austin.
Source: TOI
Mewat, Haryana: Atrocities against Hindus on the Rise
While voicing concern over the rise in alleged attacks by "Jihadi elements" in the border areas of Bihar, the VHP petitioned the Governor. In Haryana, it sent a three-member team to probe "atrocities" against Hindus in Mewat, which has a large number of Meo Muslims.
Tablighi Jamaat, which recently courted controversy over its big event in Delhi, adding to the coronavirus spread, traces its origin to the Mewat region. The VHP alleged that Jamaatis were later sheltered in Mewat.
According to the VHP, among the atrocities are cases where no Hindu businessman dares to recover his petty dues from a Muslim and is beaten up for doing so and that a Hindu boy's shikha (lock of hair) was made a point of indecent remarks on May 12. His family was severely beaten by 200 people for protesting this treatment.
https://www.deccanherald.com/national/atrocities-against-hindus-in-bihar-haryana-vhp-837741.html
Wednesday, May 13, 2020
USA: Joe Biden expresses concern over targeting of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan
US Presidential candidate and former Vice-President Joe Biden has expressed concern over the targeting of Sikhs and Hindus in Afghanistan, especially after the attack on Gurdwara Har Rai Sahib, and suggested they will be given refugee status in America if he was elected President.
Biden recalled when, in the mid-1990s, the Taliban sought to make Sikhs and Hindus wear yellow to identify them as non-Muslims. The recent attack against Afghanistan’s Sikh community demonstrates once again the dangerous conditions for religious minorities, he said, while accusing Trump of ending America’s refugee policy of welcoming people fleeing violence and persecution.
Detailed news: TI
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Nepal: Christian Missionary Pastor using Hindu Name Arrested in Nepal for Spreading Misinformation on Covid19
A pastor has been arrested in Nepal on charges of giving false information by saying that prayer could heal COVID-19. Pastor's name is Keshab Raj Acharya which is typically a "Hindu name". His wife also uses a Hindu surname of "Acharya".
Even pastor Mukunda Sharma who is executive secretary of the Nepal Christian Society has kept a Hindu Name.
This trend of Christian Missionaries keeping Hindu names in Hindu dominating countries and then indulging in the business of religious conversions should be denounced. Thorough probe should be done to expose the source of funding of such missionaries.
Related news
Tuesday, May 5, 2020
Kerala: Govt's Plans to Live-Stream Temple Rituals Opposed
Hindu religious leaders and Tantric scholars have condemned the statement of Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran that the government will explore the possibility of live streaming of various temple rituals, including those at Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple and Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.
Mr. Surendran said temple rituals, especially during festive occasions, could be live streamed as in the case of Easter services held in churches. The matter would be discussed with all Devaswom boards, he said.
Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajom president Akkeeramon Kalidasan Bahattathiripad said the Minister might have made such a statement out of ignorance on the unique tantric and ritualistic traditions and custom at various temples.
Mr. Bhattathirippad said the government should not venture into such misadventures. He said the government should stay away from matters relating to religious faith, ritualistic custom and tradition attached to various places of worship. The Minister should keep in mind that not even electricity was permitted inside the sanctum sanctorum, he said.
Monday, May 4, 2020
Tamil Nadu: State Govt Orders Hindu Temples to Transfer Rs 10 Crores to Govt Fund; Withdraws the Order After High Court Hearing
The Tamil Nadu state government asked 47 temples to donate total of rupees 10 crores to the CM Relief Fund to fight Chinese coronavirus. But on the other hand, no such circular was made to other religions and in fact recently the state government had ordered the distribution of 5,450 tonnes of free rice to 2,985 mosques of the state ocosting about Rs 11 crore. News source: OpIndia,
It should be noted that most big Hindu temples are already under state governments control through temple trusts and govt collects huge revenue from the donations made at the temple. The donation money could be used for propagation of Hindus' Sanatan dharma. And it is not so for other religions.
The matter was taken the court and the Madras High Court found it "not legally tenable". After that, the Department’s issued a fresh circular immediately withdrawing its 22 April order.
Sunday, May 3, 2020
Tirupati: 1,300 workers jobless amid coronavirus outbreak
Well known to be one of India's richest Hindu shrine, Tirupati Balaji temple in Andhra Pradesh ends contract with 1,300 workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. It is reportedly said that the staffers were taking care of the temple's sanitation and were told not to report for work from May 1.
It is reportedly said the firm, that supplied the workers was intimated that the contract, which allegedly expired on April 30, would not be renewed. Y V Subba Reddy, the chairman of the temple's trust told a media organisation that their services were discontinued.
Since the temple trust is managed indirectly by the state government, we request state government not to make these people jobless. Tirupati temple trust has no lack of funds and Crores of donation is given to it by Hindus from all over the country. Let us not make a bad example by firing poor workers during this crisis situation.
Saturday, May 2, 2020
Bengaluru: Woman who converted to Hinduism and married a Hindu man, dies along with husband
The bodies of a Bihar couple, who allegedly committed suicide on Friday, were cremated in the presence of just two family members on Saturday.
On Friday night, Rahul, 30 and his wife Rani, 30, residents of Dayananda Road, were found dead in their house. While Rani was found hanging, Rahul had allegedly consumed poison.
Police said the couple’s was an inter-religious marriage and Rani had changed her name after the wedding. A probe revealed the couple had tied the knot against their families’ will. They were working in a garment shop in the city. Though the reason behind the suicides is yet to be ascertained.
Rani’s younger brother Ahmed Raphal, who works in a shop in Commercial Street visited the police station to identify the bodies.
USA: Harvard’s ‘racist and evocative cartoon’ on Hinduism
The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) wrote a letter to Harvard University expressing outrage regarding a deeply racist and highly evocative cartoon on Hinduism.
On April 23, 2020, the Harvard University Press (HUP) tweeted an announcement regarding Dr. Ajantha Subramanian’s upcoming virtual talk titled “Meritocracy and Democracy: The Social Life of Caste in India,” which also featured guest speaker TM Krishna.
In promoting the talk by Dr. Subramanian, HUP failed to review the contents of the link, which contained a gory cartoon depicting a Hindu religious figure holding holy books while adding ingredients to a traditional mill stone and conjuring up a skeleton from the ingredients, crushing many black human figurines and killing them or throwing them into what seems to be waves of fire. One black figurine is also seen holding on to the feet of the religious figure in a desperate attempt to save itself, according to a press release by CoHNA.
Interestingly, the image is not from the book but was specifically selected for the tweet and the promotion of the event.
“In our view, the use of the cartoon is prejudicial and sensationalist, and without providing that context of colonial critique, the cartoon seems to present a racist view of Hindus and can be seen as pejorative, and reinforces the kind of narratives that were created about Hinduism to justify colonial conquest and conversion,” stated Nikunj Trivedi, president of CoHNA.
Saturday, April 25, 2020
Pakistan: Two Hindu Girls Kidnapped, Converted and Forced Married to Muslim Man
Dainik Jagran, New Delhi, 26 April 2020
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
Palghar: Two Sadhus Lynched Amidst Lockdown due to Rumors
Two Sadhus and their driver were killed in a mob lynching incident in Palghar near Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra. As per news agencies, villagers were angry due to rumors of child smugglers moving in their area, spotted a vehicles in which the two Sadhus were traveling, attached them and beaten them to death. Several Police personnel were present at the site and the Sadhus pleaded them for protection. But after a while the Police personnel left them to die.
Saturday, March 21, 2020
Australia: Treasurer accused of racism towards Hindus
Australia's Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has been accused of making "racist" comments about Hinduism and other Indian religions in Parliament.
Frydenberg made several references to the Indian religions in Parliament on February 28. In a statement issued on February 29, the Hindu Council of Australia described the comments as "brazen, racist and Hindu-phobic", calling for an apology.
Hinduism is a minority religion in Australia, making up 1.9 per cent of the population as of the 2016 census.
Sunday, March 8, 2020
The unholy management of temples in Tamil Nadu: Article from The Federal
The forest region is presided by the deity Maayon
The mountain region is presided by the deity Cheyon
The agricultural region is presided by the deity Vendhan
The coastal region is presided by the deity Varunan
The above lines mentioned in Tholkappiyam, one of the earliest works in Tamil literature, shows that ancient Tamils chose and worshipped their deities according to the terrain or land types they lived in. These deities were later attributed shapes, names, colours and avatars. Stories, both oral and written were woven on them and were passed from one generation to the other.
Changing hands for better
As time passed, these deities were gradually moved from the shelter of trees to permanent structures, which we today call temples. Primarily built as places of worship, temples soon metamorphosed into revenue-generating machines for kingdoms which had huge acres of land under their possession. Whether under kings or village administrations, temples were always plagued by complaints related to misuse of their assets, until the East India Company took over them.
In 1789, when the British established the Board of Revenue in the then Madras Presidency, the administration of temples came under the board’s control. In 1817, the Madras Regulation VII was passed. Under this regulation, the revenue department was entrusted with monitoring the financial assistance and donations made to temples and find out whether they were used for temple management purposes or were serving vested interests. The period saw a substantial decrease in complaints related to the misuse and mismanagement of temple assets. The Regulation was in force till 1839.
The birth of HR & CE department
In a populist move, the British in 1858 decided to hand over the temples to respective trusts. This, in turn, brought down the frequency of complaints related to temple mismanagement.
In 1925, the Justice Party during the premiership of Panaganti Ramarayaningar, the king of Panagal, introduced the Hindu Religious Endowments Bill which in turn paved the way for establishing the Hindu Religious Endowment Board, which took care of the management of temples in the presidency.
After Independence, the then Tamil Nadu government passed the Hindu Religious Endowment Act in 1951. After undergoing amendments in 1959, the Act came into effect in 1960. Later, the Hindu Religious Endowment Board was upgraded as the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department (HR & CE).
In 1971, the then chief minister M Karunanidhi, made the department into a separate ministerial portfolio and appointed M Kannappan as its first minister. It was during his period that the temple’s income was diverted to start orphanages and schemes related to eradication of begging.
Trust’s TN’s way to run temples
Temples in Tamil Nadu are managed through two ways – they are either run by hereditary managers known as dharmakarthas, or are managed by officials appointed by the government in places where the number of dharmakarthas is few; these officials are given designations of temple secretary, commissioner, joint commissioner and executive officer.
The HR & CE Act mandates the formation of a board of trustees for every temple. These trustees are ‘non-hereditary’ in nature. The trust usually is a five-member body of which one member belongs to the SC/ST community and another is a woman. The tenure of each trustee is two years. In the absence of a board, the government appoints a ‘fit person’ (Thakkaar in Tamil) to take care of the temple until the formation of a board. In a recent ruling, the Madras High Court clarified that the court does not have the power to appoint a Thakkaar and that the power is only vested in the state government.
“Although a retired HR & CE official is mostly chosen as the Thakkar, the ruling political party often interferes in the appointment process by delegating a non-government individual or a person of their choice as the caretaker,” said an official of the department on conditions of anonymity.
The department currently controls more than 44,000 temples in the state. But, the temples today are more than just places of worship. They are centres of several social, economic, educational and cultural activities. Almost all temples provide food under the Annadhanam scheme of the state government, impart spiritual education along with provisions for Ved Pathashalas, develop artistic taste by appointing musicians and hosting music festivals, conduct marriages of the poor, act as shelter and care centre for elephants as well as cater to the livelihood of priests who work on their precincts.
Where’s the money coming from
How are the schemes running? What are its financial sources? – are questions that often follow such revelations.
The annual income from 44,000 temples would run into thousands of crores of rupees. But department officials are unaware of the exact income, as it differs from one temple to other. However, according to one account, around 300 temples in the state are currently earning more than ₹10 lakh annually while 650 others are earning between ₹2 lakh and ₹10 lakh every year. Another 35,000 temples are able to generate income less than ₹10,000 per annum.
In order to balance the expenditure of temples, the HR & CE department diverts money surplus funds from rich temples to the impoverished ones and to the tourism development fund. Besides, the department collects 2 to 8 per cent of temple income as administrative and auditing fee, which comes anywhere between ₹50 crore to ₹80 crore.
“However, public donation like hundial (collection box in temples) revenue is the major source of income for the department. The second major financial source is the revenue earned through the assets of temples like dry and wetlands, buildings and sites. Revenue generated through the second source is given to the temple administration for its maintenance,” says Bharathi, secretary, Federation of Tamil Nadu HR & CE Associations, Chennai.
According to the data available with The Federal, the department has nearly 5 lakh acres of both dry, wetlands and rainfed lands, 22,600 buildings and 33,665 sites in its possession.
“We have more than 44,000 temples across the state. Each and every one of them needs to be consecrated once in 12 years. But only 600 of them are affluent. The remaining are located in villages and in an ailing condition. Poojas are conducted at least once a day in these ailing temples for which they need funds. Keeping their condition in view, the state government has deposited ₹1 lakh in the account of around 1,500 Aadi Dravida temples (for scheduled castes) to enable their maintenance through the interest money. The government also diverts surplus funds from affluent temples to the poor ones,” Bharathi adds.
In order, yet not transparent
Despite the Tamil Nadu government’s claim that it diverts the surplus income generated from rich temples towards the development of medium and small temples, mostly in rural areas, Hindutva groups and the BJP have accused the government of diverting the income from temples to fund its populist schemes.
The department, however, has rubbished the allegations.
“The HR & CE conducts a departmental audit every financial year. But we are demanding to bring the department’s accounts into the general audit too. That way, the department cannot hide its true income,” says P Vasu, state president, Tamil Nadu Association of Temple Priests, Salem.
It has been alleged that most of the temples do not file their income tax. The BJP alleges that idols have been stolen in many temples and the managing bodies of many others have sold temple land without the state government’s permission while not allocating enough budget to manage the temples with the help of public tax.
BJP senior leader, Ila Ganesan says the department should hand over the temples to private bodies as it is done in north India.
“In the north, all temples are managed by private bodies. We demand that the HR & CE hands over all temples in the state to private bodies. But the question is who will take care of the temples. During former chief minister Karunanidhi’s regime, a committee formed under Kundrakudi Adigalar (senior) decided that bhakth sabhas should be formed to manage the temples. The decision, however, was not implemented. The truth is only 20 per cent of a temple’s income is used for the day-to-day expenses of the particular temple,” he alleged.
Poorly paid staff
Since 2005, Tamil Nadu has been enjoying the unique distinction of being the first state to pass a rule to employ individuals from all castes as priests. The HR & CE department also conducts refresher courses for the priests every year. However, there are complaints that only archakars, pattaacharyas and odhuvaars are allowed to attend this programme, and village temple priests (poosaaris) are excluded from the course.
“Most of the priests who trained under the ‘priests from all castes’ scheme, lack the knowledge of performing poojas. Many priests appointed through the scheme have been shown the door due to lack of knowledge. It will be helpful if they are allowed to attend the refresher course,” says P Vasu.
Others allege that around 70 per cent of the priests in village temples do not get salary on a regular basis, the only source of income for them being the money left by worshippers on the archana (money offered for worship) plate. Their daily earning amounts to a meagre ₹300 per day. The interest earned from the deposit made by the government into the temple’s bank account is used only for its maintenance and not to pay salary to the priest, Vasu says.
“If the department properly collects the rent from tenants who are using land and buildings owned by temples, the salaries for the priests can be easily paid. Earlier the executive officer of a temple used to collect the same, which was used to pay priests. But now, the government pays the salaries directly. While the officers have become lethargic, the rent amount is meagre and has not been raised for years, leaving the temple body with almost no revenue,” Vasu rues.
M Senthil, state president of Tamil Nadu Hindu Temple Federation says if the department only collects rent from properties owned by temples, it would amount to almost ₹50,000 crore.
Need to look beyond ‘collection box’
“The HR & CE department focuses only on temples which are having hundials (collection box). They are not taking enough measures to collect the rent. Take Palani Murugan temple for instance. Around 450 houses are under the possession of the temple. But the rent amount for each house is a mere ₹100 which has not been collected for years. The rent amount fixed for land is even meagre at ₹ 300 per acre. The department has not increased the rent and it has not even collected the existing rent. This is the condition of the department today,” Senthil says.
He says even though the municipality sends notice to a defaulter who fails to pay its taxes, no such actions is applied by the HR & CE department on rent defaulters. “We don’t want such an inert department and hence are demanding the government to return back the temples from HR & CE to the village administrations. That way, the income generated from temples will be used for the respective village,” he adds.
But Vasu rejects the idea of dissolving the department. “It is because of the HR & CE department that we are now aware of the assets owned by temples. An able management of the department is the need of the hour,” he says.
Countering the allegations Bharathi says, the case of encroachment of temple possessions are being dealt through the courts.
“The department has numerous temples. But there is a shortage of manpower. On the other hand, we have sent orders to the revenue officials of all the districts, to inspect the allegations of changing of pattas (temple deeds) of temple lands. We are trying our best to reclaim all the assets related to temples,” he said.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Lahore: Only 2 Publicly-functioning Hindu Temples Remain in the City
Despite being granted nominal religious freedom by Pakistan’s Constitution, Hindus still face extreme obstacles in being able to practise their faith. In a city of 11 million people across almost 2,000 sq km, only two publicly-functioning Hindu temples remain. One is the Krishna Mandir on Ravi Road, while the other is the Valmiki Mandir, located in New Anarkali.
Lahore’s 1941 census highlights that Hindus and Sikhs comprised nearly 40% of the city’s population, forming the backbone of Lahore’s merchant class. Reflecting this demographic diversity, Lahore was replete with mandirs and gurdwaras that hosted the city’s minority populations. Model Town, the first modern suburb built for the elite class in Lahore, was spearheaded by wealthy Hindu merchants. However, the onset of Partition changed Lahore fundamentally as millions of people migrated across the newly-formed Indo-Pak border in 1947. The consequences for Lahore being demarcated as a part of Muslim Pakistan were colossal – thousands of Hindus and Sikhs fled their homes for India as Muslim rioters ravaged their properties and took their lives. The Shah Alami Market, a bustling hub for Hindu traders and business elites, was captured entirely by a Muslim mob that had trapped its residents inside by setting the gate on fire.
Simultaneously, hundreds of Muslim refugees were arriving into the city on a regular basis, filling in the gaps left empty by Hindu residents, all of whom had either left or had been murdered. The demographics of Lahore changed rapidly as its Muslim population grew and its Hindu and Sikh population declined. Today, Hindus and Sikhs constitute only 1% of Lahore’s population.
Friday, March 6, 2020
Hampi: Encroachers make 6 temples their home
Over the time 6 Hindu Temples have been encroached upon by different groups of people in Hampi. These people have been staying inside the temple and doing puja and other activities. These temples are controlled by ASI and ASI officials claim that they are finding it difficult to evict such people since they have political connections.
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Agra: Tired of violence, Hindus offer to Sell Properties in Muslim Dominated Areas
Days after violence broke out in Aligarh’s Muslim dominated Babri Mandi area, posters proclaiming, “yeh ghar bikau hai” (This house is for sale) have come up outside the houses of Hindus.
Hindu families residing in this sensitive area said that they want to sell off their property and move to “safer localities”, as they feel “threatened” whenever such incidents of violence occur in the locality.
Tuesday, February 25, 2020
Aligarh: Attack on Hindu Temples
On Monday, several areas in Aligarh, UP witnesses violence by anti-CAA Muslim mobs. As per reports, violent mobs, with groups of Muslim women actively participating, went on a rampage in Uparkot, Turkman gate and Baniyapada areas.
As per reports, three Hindu temples have been attacked by the violent Muslim mob. The Muslim mob had jammed roads and halted traffics in Charkhabalan area too.
As per a Jagran report, the Muslim mob started spilling out from Shajmahal protest venue and gradually spread to Charkhabalan and Khatikan chowk areas. Despite police presence, the Muslim mob kept on protesting as they were in large numbers. They had reportedly attacked Hindu localities and even pelted stones at a Devi temple. Locals have stated that the Muslim mob was raising provocative slogans and had pelted stones on Hindu temples.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Lucknow: Hindu Mahasabha’s UP President shot dead
The president of the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha's Uttar Pradesh unit was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne men in the heart of Lucknow's Hazratganj area on Sunday morning.
Ranjeet Bachchan, a resident of Gorakhpur district, was on a morning walk along with another person when the men fired at them near the Central Drug Research Institute (CDRI) building in Hazratganj.
Bachchan died on the spot and the other person was critically injured. He is undergoing treatment at the trauma centre of King George's Medical University (KGMU).
This is the second killing of a right-wing Hindu leader in the state capital in the recent past.
Kamlesh Tewari, the national president of the Hindu Samaj Party, was killed at his Khurshed Bagh residence in October last year.
Friday, January 31, 2020
USA: Hindu Temple Vandalised
In a hate crime, a Hindu temple has been vandalised in the U.S. state of Kentucky by miscreants who sprayed black paint on the deity and left a knife stabbed into a chair in the main hall.
The incident happened at the Swaminarayan Temple in the Louisville city.
According to local media report, vandalism resulted in deity image sprayed with black paint, broken windows, walls spray-painted with inappropriate messages and graffiti. A knife was stabbed in the chair, and cabinets were emptied.
Monday, January 27, 2020
Karachi, Pakistan: Hindu Temple Vandalised
A Hindu temple in the Chachro area of Tharparkar district was vandalised by unidentified individuals over the weekend.
Police said four suspects entered the Maata Rani Bhitiyani temple during the wee hours of Saturday and vandalised idols and desecrated holy books.
“We visit the temple every week and when we reached on Saturday we saw smoke rising from the temple. The hands of the idols were broken and their faces were smeared with paint, said local resident Prem Kumar.
Source: Tribune
Friday, January 24, 2020
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