Religion Archive

India has, time and again, witnessed the violent repercussions of so-called blasphemy accusations, particularly when it comes to criticisms of Islamic figures. One of the most alarming incidents in recent times unfolded in 2022, when Nupur Sharma, the then spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), found herself at the center of a storm. Her remarks about Prophet Muhammad and his wife Ayesha—made during a TV debate—sparked unprecedented rage among Islamists. What often goes unmentioned in the mainstream narrative is that her statement was a direct response to Islamist Taslim Ahmed Rahmani, who had been mocking the Shivling discovered at the Gyanvapi complex in Varanasi. The selective outrage that followed, however, did not address this provocation but focused solely on Sharma’s response.

In a significant legal decision, an Indore court has sentenced a 27-year-old woman named Prarthana, her 33-year-old Muslim boyfriend, Iliyas Ahmed, and another individual, Mohammad Zafar Ali, to ten years in prison. The trio was found guilty of forcibly subjecting Prarthana's 8-year-old son to circumcision and enrolling him in a madrasa to alter his religion.

Bollywood’s latest release, Chhaava, starring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna, brings the legacy of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj to life on the silver screen, marking a defining moment in cultural storytelling.

In a shocking revelation from the Beawar district of Rajasthan, a sensational case of rape involving the gift of mobile phones has surfaced. The reports suggest that some youths have been deceiving minor girls by presenting them with mobile phones, only to exploit them sexually afterwards. This pattern of deceit has stirred significant unrest among community members, leading to widespread protests.

In a landmark ruling on 6th February, the Additional District and Sessions Court in Agra delivered justice in the tragic case of Varsha Raghuvanshi, who ended her life in 2021 after enduring relentless cruelty and harassment. The court convicted her husband, Faeem Qureshi, sentencing him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under Sections 304B and 498A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC)—charges that specifically pertain to dowry death and cruelty within marriage.

In Chota Bharwara of Gomti Nagar Extension, Lucknow, a storm of resentment has been brewing over what the local Hindus claim to be covert Christian conversion activities. This escalating tension came to a head when Hindus in the area staged a protest, accusing Christian residents of turning a residential house into a hub for weekly Sunday prayer meetings, which they allege is a front for converting locals to Christianity. The accusations further extend to claims that these Christian groups are applying pressure tactics, either urging local Hindus to convert or coercing them to sell their homes and relocate.

In a deeply distressing incident on Thursday, January 30, a college student was brutally murdered in Raichur city, Karnataka, by a man identified as Mubin after she rejected his marriage proposal. The horrific crime unfolded in Sindhanoor town where Mubin, in a fit of rage, took the life of the young girl in a savage act of violence.