INDIA

In Assam, a Hindu group has issued threats to Christian schools, demanding the removal of religious symbols or face severe repercussions. According to Muslim Mirror report, an unidentified Hindu group has purportedly issued an ultimatum to Christian schools across Assam, demanding the elimination of religious emblems such as crosses, chapels, and statues from their premises. The threats, conveyed through anonymous letters, underscore the gravity of the situation if the stipulated conditions are not met. Christian schools and organizations have voiced profound apprehension over these threats, asserting that they contravene the principles of religious freedom and undermine the country's secular foundation. These institutions maintain a responsibility to uphold the tenets of their...

Tensions erupted in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday as followers of Islamic cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan, who is also the chief of Ittehad-e-Millat Council, courted arrest to protest the killings in Haldwani the previous night. Stone-pelting incidents occurred, leading to a significant deployment of police and paramilitary forces. According to Hindustan Times, on Thursday, Raza had called for a 'Jail Bharo' protest, urging his supporters to willingly get arrested in connection with the Gyanvapi mosque dispute and on Friday, the cleric was detained by Uttar Pradesh police. On Thursday, Raza Khan declared his intention to surrender for arrest in protest against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's statement in the Assembly, suggesting that Muslims should voluntarily relinquish their clai...

On Thursday, clashes erupted between Muslim locals and Uttarakhand Police after Mariyam Mosque, along with its adjoining Madarsa, was demolished in Bhanbhoolpura area in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, in an 'encroachment drive'. A large number of angry residents, including women, took to the streets as the two religious structures were being bulldozed. The protesters broke down barricades, argued with the police personnel, and hurled stones at everyone involved in the demolition. The locals also set vehicles and the local police station on fire. In the chaos, five Muslims were killed, and over 250 persons, including 12 policemen, were injured. To maintain peace, four companies of paramilitary forces were deployed. Additionally, the entire state of Uttarakhand was put on high alert with a s...

Human rights organization Amnesty International stated on Wednesday that the widespread "unlawful demolitions" of Muslims' homes, businesses, and places of worship, using JCB bulldozers and other machinery must cease immediately. In two companion reports titled "If you speak up, your house will be demolished: Bulldozer Injustice in India" and "Unearthing Accountability: JCB’s Role and Responsibility in Bulldozer Injustice in India," the rights group documented the "punitive demolition" of Muslim properties in at least five states, with a prevalent use of JCB-branded bulldozers or diggers as the preferred brand in a hate campaign against the minority community. Amnesty International called on the Centre and state governments to immediately halt the de facto policy of demolishing peopl...

Rajvardhan Singh Parmar, the national president of Maharana Pratap Sena in Ajmer, Rajasthan, has asserted that the Ajmer Dargah is a sacred Hindu temple. A letter has been addressed to CM Bhajan Lal Sharma regarding this matter. In the letter, Rajvardhan Singh Parmar, President of Maharana Pratap Sena, emphasized that their organization has long been advocating for an investigation into the Dargah located in Ajmer. Parmar insisted that the said Dargah is a revered Hindu temple, not a Dargah. Parmar highlighted that despite previous efforts, the Congress government did not take their concerns seriously, labeling it as anti-Hindu sentiment. He stressed that the people of Rajasthan are in support of this demand. During the Jan Jagran Yatra across various districts of Rajasthan, Pa...

Opposition members in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday urged the government to hold assembly elections in Jammu Kashmir at the earliest. Participating in a debate on The Jammu Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, Hasnain Masoodi (NC) demanded that the polls in the union territory be held soon. He said the central government should have decided on the polls before the Supreme Court had to intervene in the matter. The top court had a few months back asked the Election Commission to hold assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir by September this year. Masoodi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Monday said his government will take big decisions. Polls in the union territory should be held before other big ticket decisions are taken, Masoodi said. Minister of State for Home...

The government of Uttarakhand, with Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami at the helm, has presented the Uniform Civil Code Uttarakhand 2024 Bill (UCC) during the ongoing special assembly session. This bill, scheduled for introduction on Tuesday, is aimed at establishing uniform civil laws that apply to all communities across the state. Its development comes after the final draft received approval from the Uttarakhand Cabinet, marking a significant step towards fulfilling a major pledge outlined in the BJP's 2022 assembly election manifesto. The Uniform Civil Code essentially seeks to create a comprehensive framework governing personal matters such as marriage, divorce, adoption, inheritance, and succession for all citizens, irrespective of their religious affiliations. The idea i...

Islamic preacher Mufti Salman Azhari has been detained by Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in Mumbai, on Sunday. The preacher has been detained over the allegations of delivering a provocative speech. The Mufti made a speech in Junagadh, Gujurat, which sparked controversy after being shared online. It consequently led to his arrest in Mumbai. After his arrest, hundreds of his supporters gathered outside Ghatkopar police station in Mumbai, prompting a lathi charge by the police to control the crowd and manage traffic disruptions. Mufti Salman Azhari is held under Sections 153B (promoting enmity between different religious groups) and 505(2) (statements circulated to incite offence against a community) of the Indian Penal Code. Mufti Salman Azhari urged his supporters not to pr...

The three-day 'Urs' at Taj Mahal is to be celebrated this year from February 6 to February 8. The event is celebrated to observe the death anniversary of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who had the Taj Mahal constructed in 1653, on the banks of Yamuna in Agra. However, in a new development, a right wing Hindu organization took to court in Agra, filing a petition, and seeking prohibitory injunction against the observation of the event. The petitioner, Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha has also challenged free entry inside the Taj for the Urs. “On Friday, the petitioner ABHM through its divisional head Meena Diwakar and district president Saurabh Sharma filed a petition in the Court of IV Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division) Room No 4 at Civil Court premises in Agra," said Petitioner’...

A bill that seeks to amend laws relating to local bodies in Jammu Kashmir was introduced in the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai introduced the bill on behalf of Home Minister Amit Shah. The Jammu and Kashmir Local Bodies Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2024, seeks to amend the Jammu and Kashmir Panchayati Raj Act, 1989; the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Act, 2000; and the Jammu and Kashmir Municipal Corporation Act, 2000. PTI