Hindutva activism has plunged to a new low in India. On February 17, the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), which is affiliated with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), filed a petition in the Calcutta High Court requesting a change of name for a lioness called Sita. In its petition, the VHP … Read more
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday opened a controversial Hindu temple built on the ruins of a historic mosque in the northern city of Ayodhya, delivering on a crucial Hindu nationalist pledge that his governing party hopes will catapult him to a record third successive term in upcoming elections. The temple, which is still … Read more
In this Feb. 27, 2020, file photo, an Indian Muslim boy stands inside a mosque burnt in communal violence in New Delhi, India. Credit: AP Photo/Altaf Qadri Advertisement “Nor must we countenance that political convenience determines responses to terrorism, extremism and violence” – these were the words spoken by India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar … Read more
Advertisement The suffering of Muslims in India has reached unprecedented levels since the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in 2014. In addition to the demonization of the community, they are targets of mob violence and hundreds of Muslims have been killed, injured and rendered homeless. Their homes, businesses, and places of … Read more
The Pulse | Society | South Asia The Gyanvapi mosque in the city of Varanasi dates to the 16th century, but Hindu petitioners claim a Hindu temple once stood on the site. An aerial view shows Gyanvapi mosque, left, and Kashiviswanath temple on the banks of the river Ganges in Varanasi, India, Dec. 12, 2021. Credit: AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar … Read more