New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) Urging the Supreme Court to reconsider the 2018 Sabarimala judgment permitting entry of women of all age groups into the temple, the Union government on Tuesday told a nine-judge Constitution Bench that notions of “patriarchy” and “gender stereotypes” are alien to Indian Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted before the Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant that Indian society has historically accorded w…
Latest religious freedom News & Updates
New Delhi, April 7 (IANS) A nine-judge Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant is slated to hear on Tuesday the long-pending Sabarimala review matter, involving a batch of petitions raising significant constitutional questions on religious freedom and gender equality. As per the cause list published on the official website of the Supreme Court, the Constitution Bench, also comprising Justices B.V. Nagarathna, M.M. Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, A.G. M…
Washington, April 5 (IANS) A senior US lawmaker has criticised China’s record on religious freedom ahead of Easter, accusing the Chinese Communist Party of persecuting Christians and calling for greater freedoms in the country.Chairman John Moolenaar of the Select Committee on China said the faith of imprisoned Christians in China would continue to inspire others despite state repression.“When he was imprisoned for his faith in Jesus, Paul wrote to the Philippians, ‘It has become clear thr…
Islamabad, March 30 (IANS) A leading minority rights group on Monday highlighted that members of the Ahmadi community were once again prevented from offering Eid prayers in several districts of Pakistan’s Punjab province — turning what should have been a “moment of unity” into yet another instance of exclusion.According to the Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), police deployments, administrative barriers, and the looming threat of legal consequences ensured that gatherings were either disrupted…
Washington, March 27 (IANS) A bipartisan group of US lawmakers has urged President Donald Trump to press China for the release of a detained Christian pastor when he meets President Xi Jinping next month, citing what they called “ongoing unjust imprisonment and persecution” of religious minorities.In a letter, Senators James Lankford, Ted Budd, and Tim Kaine, along with lawmakers from both parties, urged Trump to raise the case of Pastor Ezra Jin Mingri, who they said was “arbitrarily deta…
New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Ahead of the commencement of hearings before a nine-judge Constitution Bench in the Sabarimala review matter, written submissions filed on behalf of the Travancore Devaswom Board have urged the Supreme Court to adopt a “community-centric and subjective” understanding of religion under Article 25 of the Constitution, cautioning against judicial reinterpretation of religious beliefs and practices.The submissions, settled by senior advocate Dr Abhishek Singhvi, conten…
Mumbai, March 17 (IANS) The ruling MahaYuti ally, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), legislators, on Tuesday, in the State Legislative Council, voiced concerns on the Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026. “While implementing the Freedom of Religion Act, if anyone is targeted, we will have to take a different stand,” NCP MLC Idris Naikwadi said, while delivering a sharp critique to the government from within the ruling MahaYuti alliance.After being passed in the Maharashtra Assembly on M…
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 …
Mumbai, March 13 (IANS) The state government is set to table Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026 in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, setting in motion the process to identify and punish individuals and organised entities behind ‘forced’ conversions. The proposed legislation aims to curb religious conversions carried out through force, fraud, or allurement. The state cabinet had given its approval during the meeting held on March 5, following recommendations from a high-level special…
Washington, March 12 (IANS) Two US senators introduced legislation seeking sanctions against individuals involved in alleged forced organ harvesting in China. Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, both members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, unveiled the Falun Gong and Victims of Forced Organ Harvesting Protection Act, a bill that would impose sanctions on individuals responsible for forced organ harvesting and require the US administratio…