religious freedom

Indore, March 20 The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday directed the government and other parties to file their objections or responses to a public interest litigation (PIL) claiming the existence of a medieval Jain temple and school within the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Masjid complex in...

Srinagar, March 20 Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, the chief priest of Kashmir, claimed on Friday that he was placed under house arrest and prevented from offering congregational prayers at the Jamia Masjid here."For the third consecutive Friday during Ramadan, I have been arbitrarily placed under house...

Raipur, March 19 Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Thursday described the passage of the Chhattisgarh Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 in the state assembly as a historic moment, and said it would put an end to religious conversions carried out through inducement, pressure, and deceit.The proposed...

Islamabad, March 19 – A Christian man in Pakistan, accused under the country's controversial blasphemy laws, is awaiting a possible death sentence. The case has drawn attention due to the alleged "blasphemy business group," an organized network accused of making false accusations of blasphemy to...

Prayagraj, March 18 The Allahabad High Court has reiterated that there can be no impediment or restriction on prayers and religious functions being conducted within the private premises of a person, regardless of their faith.In this case, the high court had previously asked the Sambhal...

New Delhi, March 18 – The BJP accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of siding with anti-India forces, citing his support for a United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report recommending sanctions on India's intelligence agency, RAW, and the RSS.Addressing a press...

New Delhi, March 18 – The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a strong attack on the Congress and Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday over remarks related to a report by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), accusing the opposition of...

Washington, March 18 – A resolution condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry is gaining traction in the US state of Minnesota, with more than 400 community members backing the move and lawmakers hearing testimony on rising incidents targeting Hindu Americans.Introduced in the Minnesota...

New Delhi, March 17 – Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera sharply criticised the prevailing atmosphere in the country on Tuesday, alleging that festivals that once symbolized shared joy and harmony have been transformed over the past 10 to 12 years into occasions for raucous processions and...

Freedom of religion and belief is a fundamental human right. It protects human dignity, allowing individuals to practice their faith without fear and enabling diverse communities to coexist peacefully. This principle is particularly significant, and often contested, in South Asia, a region with...

Mumbai, March 17 The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, which has stringent provisions to prohibit religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, inducement, or marriage, moved a step closer to becoming a law on Tuesday with its passage in the council.With the state...

Mumbai, March 17 – On Tuesday, legislators from the ruling MahaYuti alliance, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), voiced concerns about the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, in the State Legislative Council."While implementing the Freedom of Religion Act, if anyone is targeted, we...

Canberra, March 17 – The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) co-chair, Senator Deborah O’Neill (Labour), continues to highlight the international concern over human rights violations in Tibet and the protection of Tibetan cultural and religious identity. Senator O’Neill recently...

March 17, New Delhi: India's Ambassador to the United Nations, Parvathaneni Harish, has highlighted what he called the "brutal repression" of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in Pakistan and the air-bombing campaigns during the holy month of Ramadan.Delivering India's statement at the...

Mumbai, March 17 – The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill-2026 was passed after a heated debate late Monday night in the state Legislative Assembly. The ruling Mahayuti government strongly defended the necessity of the Bill to curb unlawful and forced conversion, while cracks appeared within...

United Nations, March 17. India has exposed Pakistan’s own Islamophobia, which is evident in the deadly persecution of the Ahmadiyyas, and Islamabad’s representative virtually admitted it was happening.Referring to Pakistan only as “our western neighbour”, India’s Permanent Representative P...

Mumbai, March 16 – The Maharashtra Assembly on Monday passed the Freedom of Religion Bill 2026, which includes strict provisions to prohibit religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud, inducement, or marriage, by voice vote.According to the Bill, individuals involved in unlawful...

Mumbai, March 16 – Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified on Monday that the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, is not directed against any specific religion. He emphasized that the Bill is being introduced solely to prevent religious conversions carried out through coercion, fraud...

New York, March 16 A US federal government commission has flagged the alleged worsening of religious freedom in India and called for linking Washington's future security assistance and bilateral trade to improvements in New Delhi's record on the issue.India on Monday categorically rejected the...

Mumbai, March 16 – NCP (SP) MLA Jitendra Awhad sparked a major controversy in the Legislative Assembly on Monday while speaking on the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill – 2026. During his speech, he cited various historical instances.A heated exchange erupted when he made a specific...