The French city of Grenoble on Monday authorised the wearing of the so-called "burkini" by&nbsp;Muslim&nbsp;women in state-run swimming pools, reigniting one of France's most contentious debates on religous dress.

The all-in-one&nbsp;swimsuit, used by some&nbsp;Muslim&nbsp;women to cover their bodies and hair while bathing, has become a controversial talking point during the holiday season in recent years.

Seen as a symbol of creeping Islamism by its critics and an affront to France's secular traditions, many right-wingers and some feminists would like to ban it outright.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/macron-starts-second-term-with-challenges-mounting-478860">&nbsp;French President Emmanuel&nbsp;Macron starts second term with challenges mounting</a>

It is prohibited in most state-run pools for hygiene, not religious reasons where strict swimwear rules apply to all, including men who are required to wear tight-fitting trunks.&nbsp;

The move applies across the board, meaning men will able to wear long shorts and women can also bathe topless in the Alpine city's pools.

Grenoble's mayor, Eric Piolle, one of the country's highest profile Green politicians who leads a broad left-wing coalition at the city council, has championed the move but run into a fierce campaign of opposition.

He managed to rally enough votes at a city council meeting to approve the measure, despite not having the support of his own EELV party which distanced itself from the measure.

It was carried by the slimmest of margins with 29 votes for, 27 against and 2 abstentions after two-and-a-half hours of tense debates.

"All we want is for women and men to be able to dress how they want," Piolle told broadcaster RMC Monday.

Opponents see it differently, including the influential conservative head of the wider Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez, who has promised to withdraw funding from the city.

"I am convinced that what Mr Piolle is defending is a dreadful dead-end for our country," Wauquiez said at the beginning of May, accusing him of "doing deals with political Islam" to "buy votes".

At the council meeting the former right-wing mayor Alain Carignon urged a local referendum on the issue.

"You can't force through such a sensitive subject. You have no legitimacy, you weren't elected for that," he said.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Can France and India bring peace to Ukraine?

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Harm to Republican values

The regional spat has put the burkini back in the headlines nationally, animating French talk shows and the political class ahead of parliamentary elections next month.

The issue of how people dress for the pool touches on highly sensitive topics in France, including fears about the influence of Islam and threats to the country's cherished secularism.

"It seems to me that [mayor Piolle] doesn't realise the harm he is doing to our Republican values," Prisca Thevenot, a spokeswoman for President Emmanuel Macron's party, told Radio J on Monday.

"This would be breaking with the rules to respond to political desires based on religion," she added.

Attempts by several local mayors in the south of France to ban the burkini on Mediterranean beaches in the summer of 2016 kicked off the first firestorm around the bathing suit.&nbsp;

The rules, introduced after a string of terror attacks in France, were eventually struck down as discriminatory.

Three years later, a group of women in Grenoble caused a splash by forcing their way into a pool with burkinis, leading the prime minister at the time to insist that the rules should be followed.

French sports brand Decathlon also found itself at the centre of a similar row in 2019 when it announced plans to sell a "sports hijab" enabling&nbsp;Muslim&nbsp;women to cover their hair while running.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-bird-flu-hit-france-fois-gras-is-vanishing-from-hotel-menus-477312">In bird flu-hit France, Fois Gras is vanishing from hotel menus</a>

Grenoble is not be the first to change its rules, however.&nbsp;

The northwestern city of Rennes quietly updated its pool code in 2019 to allow burkinis and other types of swimwear.

The debate about the burkini comes as French&nbsp;Muslim&nbsp;women footballers are battling to overturn a ban on the wearing of religious symbols during competitive matches.&nbsp;

The French Football Federation currently prevents players from playing while wearing "ostentatious" religious symbols such as the&nbsp;Muslim&nbsp;hijab or the Jewish kippa.&nbsp;

A women's collective known as "les Hijabeuses" launched a legal challenge to the rules in November last year.

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

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The French city of Grenoble on Monday authorised the wearing of the so-called "burkini" by Muslim women in state-run swimming pools, reigniting one of France's most contentious debates on religous dress.

The French city of Grenoble on Monday authorised the wearing of the so-called "burkini" by Muslim women in state-run swimming pools, reigniting one of France's most contentious debates on religous dress. The all-in-one swimsuit, used by some Muslim women to cover their bodies and hair while bathing, has become a controversial talking point during the holiday season in recent years. Seen as a symbol of creeping Islamism by its critics and an affront to France's secular traditions, many right-wingers and some feminists would like to ban it outright. Also read | French President Emmanuel Macron starts second term with challenges mounting It is prohibited in most state-run pools for hygiene, not religious reasons where strict swimwear rules apply to all, including men who are required to wear tight-fitting trunks. The move applies across the board, meaning men will able to wear long shorts and women can also bathe topless in the Alpine city's pools. Grenoble's mayor, Eric Piolle, one of the country's highest profile Green politicians who leads a broad left-wing coalition at the city council, has championed the move but run into a fierce campaign of opposition. He managed to rally enough votes at a city council meeting to approve the measure, despite not having the support of his own EELV party which distanced itself from the measure. It was carried by the slimmest of margins with 29 votes for, 27 against and 2 abstentions after two-and-a-half hours of tense debates. "All we want is for women and men to be able to dress how they want," Piolle told broadcaster RMC Monday. Opponents see it differently, including the influential conservative head of the wider Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region, Laurent Wauquiez, who has promised to withdraw funding from the city. "I am convinced that what Mr Piolle is defending is a dreadful dead-end for our country," Wauquiez said at the beginning of May, accusing him of "doing deals with political Islam" to "buy votes". At the council meeting the former right-wing mayor Alain Carignon urged a local referendum on the issue. "You can't force through such a sensitive subject. You have no legitimacy, you weren't elected for that," he said. Watch | Gravitas: Can France and India bring peace to Ukraine? Harm to Republican values The regional spat has put the burkini back in the headlines nationally, animating French talk shows and the political class ahead of parliamentary elections next month. The issue of how people dress for the pool touches on highly sensitive topics in France, including fears about the influence of Islam and threats to the country's cherished secularism. "It seems to me that [mayor Piolle] doesn't realise the harm he is doing to our Republican values," Prisca Thevenot, a spokeswoman for President Emmanuel Macron's party, told Radio J on Monday. "This would be breaking with the rules to respond to political desires based on religion," she added. Attempts by several local mayors in the south of France to ban the burkini on Mediterranean beaches in the summer of 2016 kicked off the first firestorm around the bathing suit. The rules, introduced after a string of terror attacks in France, were eventually struck down as discriminatory. Three years later, a group of women in Grenoble caused a splash by forcing their way into a pool with burkinis, leading the prime minister at the time to insist that the rules should be followed. French sports brand Decathlon also found itself at the centre of a similar row in 2019 when it announced plans to sell a "sports hijab" enabling Muslim women to cover their hair while running. Also read | In bird flu-hit France, Fois Gras is vanishing from hotel menus Grenoble is not be the first to change its rules, however. The northwestern city of Rennes quietly updated its pool code in 2019 to allow burkinis and other types of swimwear. The debate about the burkini comes as French Muslim women footballers are battling to overturn a ban on the wearing of religious symbols during competitive matches. The French Football Federation currently prevents players from playing while wearing "ostentatious" religious symbols such as the Muslim hijab or the Jewish kippa. A women's collective known as "les Hijabeuses" launched a legal challenge to the rules in November last year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Burkini: French city approves Muslim swimsuit in controversial change

Several injured as new clashes erupt over anti-immigration rally in Sweden

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&nbsp;said Saturday it will permit one&nbsp;million&nbsp;Muslims from inside and outside the country to participate in this&nbsp;year's&nbsp;hajj, a sharp uptick after pandemic restrictions forced two years of drastically pared-down pilgrimages.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;hajj&nbsp;ministry "has authorised one&nbsp;million&nbsp;pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the&nbsp;hajj&nbsp;this&nbsp;year," it said in a&nbsp;statement.&nbsp;

One of the five pillars of Islam, the&nbsp;hajj&nbsp;must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives. Usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings, about 2.5&nbsp;million&nbsp;people took part in 2019.&nbsp;

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But after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020,&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;authorities allowed only 1,000&nbsp;pilgrims&nbsp;to participate.&nbsp;

The following&nbsp;year, they upped the total to 60,000 fully vaccinated residents chosen through a lottery.&nbsp;

The restrictions have stoked resentment among Muslims abroad who were barred. Saturday's announcement said this&nbsp;year's&nbsp;hajj&nbsp;would be limited to vaccinated&nbsp;pilgrims&nbsp;under age 65.&nbsp;

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Those coming from outside&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&nbsp;will be required to submit a negative Covid-19 PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours of travel.&nbsp;

The government wants to ensure&nbsp;pilgrims' safety "while ensuring that the maximum number of Muslims worldwide can perform the&nbsp;hajj", Saturday's&nbsp;statement&nbsp;said.

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The&nbsp;hajj&nbsp;consists of a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in Islam's holiest city, Mecca, and surrounding areas of western&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia.&nbsp;

Hosting the&nbsp;hajj&nbsp;is a matter of prestige for&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;rulers, as the custodianship of Islam's holiest sites is the most powerful source of their political legitimacy.

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it will permit one million Muslims from inside and outside the country to participate in this year's hajj, a sharp uptick after pandemic restrictions forced two years of drastically pared-down pilgrimages.

Saudi Arabia said Saturday it will permit one million Muslims from inside and outside the country to participate in this year's hajj, a sharp uptick after pandemic restrictions forced two years of drastically pared-down pilgrimages. The hajj ministry "has authorised one million pilgrims, both foreign and domestic, to perform the hajj this year," it said in a statement. One of the five pillars of Islam, the hajj must be undertaken by all Muslims with the means at least once in their lives. Usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings, about 2.5 million people took part in 2019. Also read | Saudi Yoga Committee takes part in 100 days countdown campaign to International Day of Yoga 2022 But after the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, Saudi authorities allowed only 1,000 pilgrims to participate. The following year, they upped the total to 60,000 fully vaccinated residents chosen through a lottery. The restrictions have stoked resentment among Muslims abroad who were barred. Saturday's announcement said this year's hajj would be limited to vaccinated pilgrims under age 65. Watch | Saudi Arabia becomes China's top crude oil supplier again as Russian imports fall Those coming from outside Saudi Arabia will be required to submit a negative Covid-19 PCR result from a test taken within 72 hours of travel. The government wants to ensure pilgrims' safety "while ensuring that the maximum number of Muslims worldwide can perform the hajj", Saturday's statement said. Also read | U.S. sends anti-missile interceptors to Saudi Arabia, fulfills urgent request The hajj consists of a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in Islam's holiest city, Mecca, and surrounding areas of western Saudi Arabia. Hosting the hajj is a matter of prestige for Saudi rulers, as the custodianship of Islam's holiest sites is the most powerful source of their political legitimacy.

Saudi Arabia to allow one million hajj pilgrims this year

Schools and restaurants have closed, shops pull down their shutters early every evening, and the military has been mobilised to combat the spread of coronavirus -- but night after night the faithful flock to&nbsp;mosques&nbsp;across&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;for prayers.

Anxious over the virus's deadly rampage through neighbouring India, officials have steadily tightened restrictions and banned travel during the upcoming Eid holiday, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

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But they have turned a blind eye to religious gatherings, fearing a crackdown could ignite widespread confrontation in the deeply conservative Islamic republic.

"There is so much concern about backlash from religious groups," said Saeedullah Shah, a doctor with the&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;Islamic Medical Association&nbsp;Covid-19 task force.&nbsp;

"It's a very weak government," he told AFP. "Everything is half-hearted."

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Pakistan&nbsp;has recorded more than 840,000 cases and 18,500 deaths, but with limited testing and a ramshackle health sector, many fear the true extent of the disease is much worse.&nbsp;

Covid&nbsp;wards in several cities have been&nbsp;full&nbsp;or close to capacity for weeks as a more contagious variant of the virus has pushed cases to record numbers.

But even as the government pleads with the public to follow "standard operating procedures", as the virus guidelines are popularly known nationally,&nbsp;mosques&nbsp;are almost another country.

Maulana Muhammad Iqbal Rizvi -- who oversees the historic Markazi Jamia mosque in the garrison city of Rawalpindi -- said the faithful had little to fear, and dismissed comparisons to India.&nbsp;

"Our prayers are different," he said, and insisted restrictions were enforced -- at least under his watch.

"They are non-believers and we are Muslims. Repenting to Allah is our faith; they don't repent, that's the reason," he told AFP.

That sentiment permeates all levels of society, with Prime Minister Imran Khan saying Thursday: "In India, people are dying on streets... Allah has been kind to us compared to the rest of the world."

Still, he urged caution, adding: "Next two weeks are very important for us, we have to bring corona cases down."

Earlier this week Shiite Muslims gathered across the country to mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Ali, one of Prophet Muhammad's companions.

At a rally in the capital, initial caution gave way to emotion as masks were removed and participants dressed in black chanted songs and beat their chests in tight crowds.

Thousands also gathered in the eastern city of Lahore, with the most demonstratively pious flagellating themselves and whipping their backs raw.&nbsp;

"We are ready to sacrifice our lives, children and families," Haji Shahzad Jaffry told AFP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The disease has been around for the last year, but those who have been against our gathering and mourning have been doing it for the past 1,400 years."

Health experts in India say religious gatherings there have been a major contributor to what has become one of the world's worst outbreaks.

But that has not spurred changes in policy or behaviour in&nbsp;Pakistan.

Ashfaq Ahmed, who recently returned to&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;from Britain, said he was shocked when he saw crowds pressed into&nbsp;mosques&nbsp;and paying little concern to basic precautions such as social distancing.&nbsp;

"It seems people here are in complete denial," Ahmed told AFP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Despite&nbsp;the evidence, Pakistani officials insist guidelines are being followed.

"If there is one place where&nbsp;Covid-19 guidelines are being followed that is at the&nbsp;mosques," said Imran Siddiqui, a spokesman for the ministry of religious affairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"I can take you to a market and then to a close-by mosque and you can see it yourself that people at&nbsp;mosques&nbsp;are better at complying with safety measures."

Still, according to a poll published by Gallup&nbsp;Pakistan&nbsp;this week, 64 percent of people believe coronavirus is not as dangerous as it is made out to be.

Despite&nbsp;the warnings — and mounting death toll —&nbsp;the faithful continue to flock to prayer.&nbsp;

"God is kind to us," said Sohail Arshad at the Markazi Jamia Mosque in Rawalpindi.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"If he has sent the disease he is the one who will cure us."

Schools and restaurants have closed, shops pull down their shutters early every evening, and the military has been mobilised to combat the spread of coronavirus -- but night after night the faithful flock to mosques across Pakistan for prayers.

Schools and restaurants have closed, shops pull down their shutters early every evening, and the military has been mobilised to combat the spread of coronavirus -- but night after night the faithful flock to mosques across Pakistan for prayers. Anxious over the virus's deadly rampage through neighbouring India, officials have steadily tightened restrictions and banned travel during the upcoming Eid holiday, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Also read | Pakistan govt decides to uphold blasphemy law despite European Parliament's calls for review But they have turned a blind eye to religious gatherings, fearing a crackdown could ignite widespread confrontation in the deeply conservative Islamic republic. "There is so much concern about backlash from religious groups," said Saeedullah Shah, a doctor with the Pakistan Islamic Medical Association Covid-19 task force. "It's a very weak government," he told AFP. "Everything is half-hearted." Also read | London woman shot dead in Pakistan after refusing to marry local Pakistan has recorded more than 840,000 cases and 18,500 deaths, but with limited testing and a ramshackle health sector, many fear the true extent of the disease is much worse. Covid wards in several cities have been full or close to capacity for weeks as a more contagious variant of the virus has pushed cases to record numbers. But even as the government pleads with the public to follow "standard operating procedures", as the virus guidelines are popularly known nationally, mosques are almost another country. Maulana Muhammad Iqbal Rizvi -- who oversees the historic Markazi Jamia mosque in the garrison city of Rawalpindi -- said the faithful had little to fear, and dismissed comparisons to India. "Our prayers are different," he said, and insisted restrictions were enforced -- at least under his watch. "They are non-believers and we are Muslims. Repenting to Allah is our faith; they don't repent, that's the reason," he told AFP. That sentiment permeates all levels of society, with Prime Minister Imran Khan saying Thursday: "In India, people are dying on streets... Allah has been kind to us compared to the rest of the world." Still, he urged caution, adding: "Next two weeks are very important for us, we have to bring corona cases down." Earlier this week Shiite Muslims gathered across the country to mark the anniversary of the martyrdom of Imam Ali, one of Prophet Muhammad's companions. At a rally in the capital, initial caution gave way to emotion as masks were removed and participants dressed in black chanted songs and beat their chests in tight crowds. Thousands also gathered in the eastern city of Lahore, with the most demonstratively pious flagellating themselves and whipping their backs raw. "We are ready to sacrifice our lives, children and families," Haji Shahzad Jaffry told AFP. "The disease has been around for the last year, but those who have been against our gathering and mourning have been doing it for the past 1,400 years." Health experts in India say religious gatherings there have been a major contributor to what has become one of the world's worst outbreaks. But that has not spurred changes in policy or behaviour in Pakistan. Ashfaq Ahmed, who recently returned to Pakistan from Britain, said he was shocked when he saw crowds pressed into mosques and paying little concern to basic precautions such as social distancing. "It seems people here are in complete denial," Ahmed told AFP. Despite the evidence, Pakistani officials insist guidelines are being followed. "If there is one place where Covid-19 guidelines are being followed that is at the mosques," said Imran Siddiqui, a spokesman for the ministry of religious affairs. "I can take you to a market and then to a close-by mosque and you can see it yourself that people at mosques are better at complying with safety measures." Still, according to a poll published by Gallup Pakistan this week, 64 percent of people believe coronavirus is not as dangerous as it is made out to be. Despite the warnings — and mounting death toll — the faithful continue to flock to prayer. "God is kind to us," said Sohail Arshad at the Markazi Jamia Mosque in Rawalpindi. "If he has sent the disease he is the one who will cure us."

Mosques full despite Pakistan's Covid third wave

As night falls in Sudan, villagers rush to pull over travellers with a friendly roadblock of hospitality celebrating Islam's holy fasting month of Ramzan, traditions enduring despite dire economic troubles.

Rugs are rolled out on the roadside verge in an impromptu al fresco dining room to celebrate iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal to mark the end of a baking hot day without either a mouthful of food or a drop to drink.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="UK Muslims urged to get Covid-19 jab during Ramadan">UK Muslims urged to get Covid-19 jab during Ramadan</a>

"This is a custom that our grandparents began," said Aboulmaali Mohamed Ibrahim, offering a meal in the village of Nuba, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Sudan's capital Khartoum.

"They began inviting travellers for meals following the construction of this road in the 1960s."

To fasting travellers, the meal is a much welcomed break from their exhausting long trips on Sudan's often rutted roads.

But to residents living in villages along the road, it is part of upholding Sudan's long-held traditions of hospitality to strangers and, amid a tough economic crisis, proof that the important things in life must remain the same.

The call for the evening prayer announces the end of another fasting day.

A feast is provided. Parched travellers, struggling after a day in the sun without liquid, are firstly handed a cool and refreshing squeezed juice.

Jugs of the local speciality "hilw-mor", or "bitter-sweet", a drink spiced with ginger and cinnamon, is also poured into cups.

Then an array of traditional food ranging from porridge to plump dates is placed out for all to share.

While some villagers are laying out the food, others are still busy waving to stop cars and buses on the busy highway, encouraging people to stop and join.

Ibrahim, despite struggling on the meagre income he earns as teacher, has insisted on sharing his iftar meal every day since Ramzan began on April 13.

"We just bring whatever we have to the iftar table, no matter how little it is,"&nbsp;he said.

Sudan has been struggling since the April 2019 toppling of hardline president Omar al-Bashir, following protests against his rule triggered by economic hardship.&nbsp;

Severe shortages of food staples and price hikes remain among the pressing issues, two years after Bashir's fall, said Ibrahim.

Inflation last month shot up over 330 per cent, the government said.

People now often queue for hours to buy basic foods or to fill their cars with petrol.

Households suffer from frequent power cuts, and gas canisters for cooking are often hard to find.

The transitional government, which came to power after Bashir's ouster, has embarked on painful reforms hoped to rebuild the economy.

In February, it introduced a managed float to the local currency in an attempt to close the yawning gap between the official and black market rates.

Other bold measures include reducing costly subsidies on fuel and other commodities.

But others fear the measures risk fanning popular discontent before coming to fruition. &nbsp;

Mudather Saad, another villager from Nuba, says they typically host around 150-200 travellers to the iftar meals each evening -- but on busy nights even more.

"Our guests sometimes exceed 300 -- especially on weekends," said Saad, as he joined other villagers to block the road and beckon travellers to eat.&nbsp;

With only minutes to go before the call to prayer, Saad and others flag down a bus packed with some 60 passengers.

Omar Hussein, the bus driver, travels the route regularly and is always stopped as iftar time approaches.

"I never worry about missing iftar," Hussein said. "I am always sure someone will offer us something on the way." &nbsp;

As night falls in Sudan, villagers rush to pull over travellers with a friendly roadblock of hospitality celebrating Islam's holy fasting month of Ramzan, traditions enduring despite dire economic troubles.

As night falls in Sudan, villagers rush to pull over travellers with a friendly roadblock of hospitality celebrating Islam's holy fasting month of Ramzan, traditions enduring despite dire economic troubles. Rugs are rolled out on the roadside verge in an impromptu al fresco dining room to celebrate iftar, the fast-breaking evening meal to mark the end of a baking hot day without either a mouthful of food or a drop to drink. Also read: UK Muslims urged to get Covid-19 jab during Ramadan "This is a custom that our grandparents began," said Aboulmaali Mohamed Ibrahim, offering a meal in the village of Nuba, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) south of Sudan's capital Khartoum. "They began inviting travellers for meals following the construction of this road in the 1960s." To fasting travellers, the meal is a much welcomed break from their exhausting long trips on Sudan's often rutted roads. But to residents living in villages along the road, it is part of upholding Sudan's long-held traditions of hospitality to strangers and, amid a tough economic crisis, proof that the important things in life must remain the same. The call for the evening prayer announces the end of another fasting day. A feast is provided. Parched travellers, struggling after a day in the sun without liquid, are firstly handed a cool and refreshing squeezed juice. Jugs of the local speciality "hilw-mor", or "bitter-sweet", a drink spiced with ginger and cinnamon, is also poured into cups. Then an array of traditional food ranging from porridge to plump dates is placed out for all to share. While some villagers are laying out the food, others are still busy waving to stop cars and buses on the busy highway, encouraging people to stop and join. Ibrahim, despite struggling on the meagre income he earns as teacher, has insisted on sharing his iftar meal every day since Ramzan began on April 13. "We just bring whatever we have to the iftar table, no matter how little it is," he said. Sudan has been struggling since the April 2019 toppling of hardline president Omar al-Bashir, following protests against his rule triggered by economic hardship. Severe shortages of food staples and price hikes remain among the pressing issues, two years after Bashir's fall, said Ibrahim. Inflation last month shot up over 330 per cent, the government said. People now often queue for hours to buy basic foods or to fill their cars with petrol. Households suffer from frequent power cuts, and gas canisters for cooking are often hard to find. The transitional government, which came to power after Bashir's ouster, has embarked on painful reforms hoped to rebuild the economy. In February, it introduced a managed float to the local currency in an attempt to close the yawning gap between the official and black market rates. Other bold measures include reducing costly subsidies on fuel and other commodities. But others fear the measures risk fanning popular discontent before coming to fruition. Mudather Saad, another villager from Nuba, says they typically host around 150-200 travellers to the iftar meals each evening -- but on busy nights even more. "Our guests sometimes exceed 300 -- especially on weekends," said Saad, as he joined other villagers to block the road and beckon travellers to eat. With only minutes to go before the call to prayer, Saad and others flag down a bus packed with some 60 passengers. Omar Hussein, the bus driver, travels the route regularly and is always stopped as iftar time approaches. "I never worry about missing iftar," Hussein said. "I am always sure someone will offer us something on the way."

Shrugging off economic woes, Sudanese share Ramzan meal

Protesters gathered in several French cities Sunday to denounce a court's refusal of a trial for a man who killed a 65-year-old Jewish woman, after experts determined he acted in a "delirious fit" due to heavy marijuana use.

The decision infuriated the victim's family as well as Jewish groups, and prompted President Emmanuel Macron to urge a change in French law to ensure people face responsibility for violent crimes while under the influence of drugs.

Sarah Halimi was pushed out the window of her Paris flat by neighbour Kobili Traore, 27, who shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest" in Arabic).

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The country's highest court said this month that while the murder was anti-Semitic, Traore could not be held criminally responsible since he had acted in a state of dementia.

He has been in psychiatric care since Halimi's death.

"The clamour has risen and hope has returned. That hope is all of you here," Halimi's brother William Attal told a crowd of several thousand at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris.

The MP who leads Macron's Republic on the Move party, Christophe Castaner, addressed the protest, which was also attended by opposition leaders and by several well-known actors.

Former French first lady Carla Bruni, wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, also appeared at the Paris rally, as did Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who said the city would soon name a street in Halimi's memory.

"It will also be a way of doing her justice," Hidalgo said.

Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti confirmed Sunday that a new penal responsibility law would be presented by end May to fill a "legal void".

But France's CSM judiciary council rejected the government's "disparagement" on Sunday and insisted that judges had correctly applied the law in a "painful" case.

Between 1,500 and 2,000 people also marched at a protest in the Mediterranean city of Marseille, while around 600 gathered outside a synagogue in the eastern city of Strasbourg, authorities said.

Jewish groups say the court ruling has made Jews less safe in France, while lawyers representing Halimi's family have said they will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights.&nbsp;

French Jews have been repeatedly targeted by jihadists in recent years, most notably in 2012, when an Islamist gunman shot dead three children and a teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Toulouse.

In 2015, a pro-Islamic State radical gunned down four people at a Jewish supermarket in Paris.

Protesters gathered in several French cities Sunday to denounce a court's refusal of a trial for a man who killed a 65-year-old Jewish woman, after experts determined he acted in a "delirious fit" due to heavy marijuana use.

Protesters gathered in several French cities Sunday to denounce a court's refusal of a trial for a man who killed a 65-year-old Jewish woman, after experts determined he acted in a "delirious fit" due to heavy marijuana use. The decision infuriated the victim's family as well as Jewish groups, and prompted President Emmanuel Macron to urge a change in French law to ensure people face responsibility for violent crimes while under the influence of drugs. Sarah Halimi was pushed out the window of her Paris flat by neighbour Kobili Traore, 27, who shouted "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest" in Arabic). Have a look | Woman's murder by alleged harasser in Kuwait sparks protest, outrage The country's highest court said this month that while the murder was anti-Semitic, Traore could not be held criminally responsible since he had acted in a state of dementia. He has been in psychiatric care since Halimi's death. "The clamour has risen and hope has returned. That hope is all of you here," Halimi's brother William Attal told a crowd of several thousand at the Trocadero esplanade in Paris. The MP who leads Macron's Republic on the Move party, Christophe Castaner, addressed the protest, which was also attended by opposition leaders and by several well-known actors. Former French first lady Carla Bruni, wife of Nicolas Sarkozy, also appeared at the Paris rally, as did Mayor Anne Hidalgo, who said the city would soon name a street in Halimi's memory. "It will also be a way of doing her justice," Hidalgo said. Justice Minister Eric Dupond-Moretti confirmed Sunday that a new penal responsibility law would be presented by end May to fill a "legal void". But France's CSM judiciary council rejected the government's "disparagement" on Sunday and insisted that judges had correctly applied the law in a "painful" case. Between 1,500 and 2,000 people also marched at a protest in the Mediterranean city of Marseille, while around 600 gathered outside a synagogue in the eastern city of Strasbourg, authorities said. Jewish groups say the court ruling has made Jews less safe in France, while lawyers representing Halimi's family have said they will take the case to the European Court of Human Rights. French Jews have been repeatedly targeted by jihadists in recent years, most notably in 2012, when an Islamist gunman shot dead three children and a teacher at a Jewish school in the southern city of Toulouse. In 2015, a pro-Islamic State radical gunned down four people at a Jewish supermarket in Paris.

Protests in France over no trial for Jewish woman's killer

Hindus are positively influencing various important areas of Bangladesh including politics, economy and culture. Although there is a religious minority, they are in harmony with Muslims.

Hindus positively influence Bangladesh's important areas

China on Monday rejected 'slanderous attacks' about conditions for Muslim Uighurs and other minorities living in its Xinjiang region, insisting that they enjoyed the freedom of religion and labour rights just like other citizens in the country.

China rejects genocide charges in Xinjiang region

Hagia Sophia, which was reconverted to a mosque from a museum under the endorsement of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will cover Christian figures during prayers here on.

The work to prepare the museum as a mosque is in full-throttle, as per the spokesperson for Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin.

Prayers to begin on Friday

When prayers begin in the newly named mosque starting Friday, Christian mosaics would be covered with curtains or lasers.

<h6><img alt="Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate Ali Erbas, visits the Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii in Istanbul, Turkey, July 19, 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fc40d22e-0e15-4485-9e56-1f3e0b7c11fd" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-2_40.jpg" /> 
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate Ali Erbas, visits the&nbsp;Hagia&nbsp;Sophia&nbsp;or Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii in Istanbul, Turkey, July 19, 2020. | AFP</h6>

A court ruling in the beginning of July claimed that the 1934 conversion of the structure to the museum was unlawful. After this, Erdogan declared Hagia Sophia was now open to the Muslim world for worship, which garnered criticism and critique across the world. The Council of State, which was debating a case brought by a Turkish NGO, cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision and ruled the UNESCO World Heritage site would be reopened to Muslim worshipping.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/india-news/why-india-should-not-remain-silent-on-hagia-sophias-decision-313064" hreflang="en">Why India should not remain silent on Hagia Sophia's decision</a>

The structure dates back to the sixth century and has, on multiple occasions, served as a church and a mosque, before being turned into a museum.

In the way of Qiblah

A few mosaics of Mary and Gabriel are positioned in the direction of Qiblah, the same direction which Muslims face during prayers. These will be covered with curtains.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/pope-francis-voices-distress-over-turkeys-hagia-sophia-conversion-to-mosque-312751" hreflang="en">Pope Francis voices distress over Turkey's Hagia Sophia conversion to mosque</a>

Besides these, other Christian depictions and figures will be left untouched as they are simply not located in the way of prayer, but the representative did not say whether these will be uncovered or left bare at all times.

When prayers are not ongoing, the Hagia Sophia will be open to all visitors and tourists, with no images and depictions being concealed. Ergodan visited the mosque on Sunday to inspect the progress being made in preparation.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/turkish-president-erdogan-rejects-criticism-over-hagia-sophias-conversion-to-mosque-312589" hreflang="en">Turkish President Erdogan rejects criticism over Hagia Sophia's conversion to mosque</a>

Pope Francis on July 12 said that he was "very distressed" over Turkey's decision to convert the Byzantine-era monument Hagia Sophia back into a mosque.

The proposal has been criticised by several religious and political leaders, including the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch, spirtual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, as well as Greece, France and the United States.

Hagia Sophia, which was reconverted to a mosque from a museum under the endorsement of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will cover Christian figures during prayers here on.

Hagia Sophia, which was reconverted to a mosque from a museum under the endorsement of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan will cover Christian figures during prayers here on. The work to prepare the museum as a mosque is in full-throttle, as per the spokesperson for Erdogan, Ibrahim Kalin. Prayers to begin on Friday When prayers begin in the newly named mosque starting Friday, Christian mosaics would be covered with curtains or lasers. Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, accompanied by Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy and the head of Turkey's Religious Affairs Directorate Ali Erbas, visits the Hagia Sophia or Ayasofya-i Kebir Camii in Istanbul, Turkey, July 19, 2020. | AFP A court ruling in the beginning of July claimed that the 1934 conversion of the structure to the museum was unlawful. After this, Erdogan declared Hagia Sophia was now open to the Muslim world for worship, which garnered criticism and critique across the world. The Council of State, which was debating a case brought by a Turkish NGO, cancelled a 1934 cabinet decision and ruled the UNESCO World Heritage site would be reopened to Muslim worshipping. Also read: Why India should not remain silent on Hagia Sophia's decision The structure dates back to the sixth century and has, on multiple occasions, served as a church and a mosque, before being turned into a museum. In the way of Qiblah A few mosaics of Mary and Gabriel are positioned in the direction of Qiblah, the same direction which Muslims face during prayers. These will be covered with curtains. Also read: Pope Francis voices distress over Turkey's Hagia Sophia conversion to mosque Besides these, other Christian depictions and figures will be left untouched as they are simply not located in the way of prayer, but the representative did not say whether these will be uncovered or left bare at all times. When prayers are not ongoing, the Hagia Sophia will be open to all visitors and tourists, with no images and depictions being concealed. Ergodan visited the mosque on Sunday to inspect the progress being made in preparation. Also read: Turkish President Erdogan rejects criticism over Hagia Sophia's conversion to mosque Pope Francis on July 12 said that he was "very distressed" over Turkey's decision to convert the Byzantine-era monument Hagia Sophia back into a mosque. The proposal has been criticised by several religious and political leaders, including the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarch, spirtual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, as well as Greece, France and the United States.

Christian mosaics in Hagia Sophia to be concealed during prayers starting July 24

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its Annual Report 2020 on April 28, covering global trends in 2019. The USCIRF, it may be recalled, was established by the US Congress as a federal bipartisan entity in 1998 through the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). It claims to be an “independent” body whose stated objective is to “monitor, analyse and report on threats to freedom of religion or belief abroad” and to make policy recommendations to the US President, the Secretary of State and Congress. The recommendations are supposedly &nbsp;“intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion or belief.”&nbsp;

The USCIRF has rarely been correct in its pronouncements on the status of religious freedoms in India. More often than not, the USCIRF reports on India have turned out to be less than objective and even malicious. Nevertheless, the 2020 Report cannot be ignored for more than one reason. For the Commission has not only levelled some baseless allegations against the government of a sovereign nation but has also crossed all lines in its attempt to damage India’s reputation as a secular country, while seeking to carve out a role for itself in managing the affairs of the pluralistic society in India. &nbsp;

In a completely erroneous, fallacious and even scandalous assessment of the freedom of religion in India, the USCIRF, in its Annual Report 2020, has recommended that India (together with 13 other countries such as North Korea, China, Pakistan etc.) be designated as a “country of particular concern” allegedly for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, on-going, and egregious religious freedom violations as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA)”&nbsp;

Further, the Commission has acted with audacity in recommending to the US President that stringent punitive actions be taken against those individual Government agencies/officials which/who in their assessment are responsible for the violation of freedom of religion in India. The recommended punitive actions include &nbsp; for instance targeted sanctions by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or barring their entry into the United States. &nbsp;

The Commission has further recommended that engagement between the US Diplomatic Missions in India and India’s religious communities and law-enforcement agencies be strengthened and funds be allocated for civil society to strengthen their monitoring systems. In other words, the Commission is asking for the legitimisation of intended interference in the internal affairs of India in a socially hyper-sensitive area. In fact, the recommendation is nothing short of seeking a direct role in managing the affairs of India’s multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. Before making such ridiculous recommendations, the Commission should have posed a question to itself: Will the Commission agree to the Indian Diplomatic Missions in the USA playing a role in curbing the rampant racial discrimination in the USA?&nbsp;&nbsp;

In a sweeping statement, the Commission has concluded that religious freedom in India experienced a “drastic turn downward in 2019”, when the &nbsp;“religious minorities found themselves under increasing assault”. It has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) of misusing its strengthened majority in Parliament (the following re-election in May 2019) to institute national-level policies, which allegedly violate religious freedom across India, especially for Muslims. It goes on to allege that “the national government allowed violence against minorities and their houses of worship to continue with impunity, and also engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence”. The observation is a blatantly mischievous attempt to create a religion-based divide in Indian society, where the overwhelming opinion is in favour of unity in diversity.&nbsp;

In support of its conclusions, the Commission has cited the abrogation of Article 370 of India’s Constitution and &nbsp;Citizenship &nbsp;Amendment Act in 2019 and continued enforcement of the existing laws on cow slaughter, religious conversions, and even the Supreme &nbsp;Court’s ruling on Babri Masjid. This clearly reflects an utter lack of understanding of the social fabric of India, the benign intentions behind the Indian Government’s decisions and the independence of the judiciary in India. &nbsp;

India is the largest functioning democracy in the world and its Constitution is explicit and unambiguous in guaranteeing its citizens the freedom not only to pursue but also preach the religion of their choice. There are adequate institutional and legal protections against discrimination on the basis of religion.&nbsp;

India’s democratic and secular credentials are well established and India owes no explanation, least to ill-informed organisations such as USCIRF. At the same time, USCIRF deserves a befitting response. In a quick rebuttal, the official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs therefore justifiably rejected the Commission’s observations on India. While recalling that the Commission’s “biased and tendentious” comments against India were not new, he said that “on this occasion, its misrepresentation has reached new levels” and went on to add in a sarcastically retaliatory tone that “We regard it (the Commission) as an organization of particular concern and will treat it accordingly.”&nbsp;

It is worth noting that the Chapter on India in the Annual Report did not enjoy full consensus. Two out of nine Members namely Commissioner Gary L. Bauer and Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee have recorded their explicit disagreement with fellow Commissioners over the recommendation that India be designated as a “country of particular concern”; they have given several valid arguments to assert that India cannot be equated with China and North Korea whom they have described as “rogue nations and authoritarian regimes”. Although Commissioner Johnnie Moore has not registered his dissent, he has made some very laudatory observations describing India, for instance, as “the largest democracy, governed by a pristine Constitution”, and a “great nation” that is the “very definition of diverse” &nbsp;

Relations between India and the USA have seen upward swing in the past two decades, and have now developed into a "global strategic partnership", based on shared democratic values and increasing convergence of interests on bilateral, regional and global issues. The canvas of relations is so wide that isolated adverse comments from ill-informed organisations such as USCIRF are very unlikely to cause any dent to the strong relationship. Nevertheless, it would be prudent on the part of the US President and US Administration to be seen as ignoring the Report. &nbsp;At the same time, the Commission must be reminded to be fair and objective in its assessment of the conduct of sovereign nations, and learn a lesson from India which refrains from censuring other countries including the USA whose track-record in matters of racial discrimination is questionable. &nbsp;

&nbsp;(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its Annual Report 2020 on April 28, covering global trends in 2019. The USCIRF, it may be recalled, was established by the US Congress as a federal bipartisan entity in 1998 through the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) released its Annual Report 2020 on April 28, covering global trends in 2019. The USCIRF, it may be recalled, was established by the US Congress as a federal bipartisan entity in 1998 through the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA). It claims to be an “independent” body whose stated objective is to “monitor, analyse and report on threats to freedom of religion or belief abroad” and to make policy recommendations to the US President, the Secretary of State and Congress. The recommendations are supposedly “intended to deter religious persecution and promote freedom of religion or belief.” The USCIRF has rarely been correct in its pronouncements on the status of religious freedoms in India. More often than not, the USCIRF reports on India have turned out to be less than objective and even malicious. Nevertheless, the 2020 Report cannot be ignored for more than one reason. For the Commission has not only levelled some baseless allegations against the government of a sovereign nation but has also crossed all lines in its attempt to damage India’s reputation as a secular country, while seeking to carve out a role for itself in managing the affairs of the pluralistic society in India. In a completely erroneous, fallacious and even scandalous assessment of the freedom of religion in India, the USCIRF, in its Annual Report 2020, has recommended that India (together with 13 other countries such as North Korea, China, Pakistan etc.) be designated as a “country of particular concern” allegedly for “engaging in and tolerating systematic, on-going, and egregious religious freedom violations as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA)” Further, the Commission has acted with audacity in recommending to the US President that stringent punitive actions be taken against those individual Government agencies/officials which/who in their assessment are responsible for the violation of freedom of religion in India. The recommended punitive actions include for instance targeted sanctions by freezing those individuals’ assets and/ or barring their entry into the United States. The Commission has further recommended that engagement between the US Diplomatic Missions in India and India’s religious communities and law-enforcement agencies be strengthened and funds be allocated for civil society to strengthen their monitoring systems. In other words, the Commission is asking for the legitimisation of intended interference in the internal affairs of India in a socially hyper-sensitive area. In fact, the recommendation is nothing short of seeking a direct role in managing the affairs of India’s multi-lingual, multi-ethnic, multi-religious society. Before making such ridiculous recommendations, the Commission should have posed a question to itself: Will the Commission agree to the Indian Diplomatic Missions in the USA playing a role in curbing the rampant racial discrimination in the USA? In a sweeping statement, the Commission has concluded that religious freedom in India experienced a “drastic turn downward in 2019”, when the “religious minorities found themselves under increasing assault”. It has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) of misusing its strengthened majority in Parliament (the following re-election in May 2019) to institute national-level policies, which allegedly violate religious freedom across India, especially for Muslims. It goes on to allege that “the national government allowed violence against minorities and their houses of worship to continue with impunity, and also engaged in and tolerated hate speech and incitement to violence”. The observation is a blatantly mischievous attempt to create a religion-based divide in Indian society, where the overwhelming opinion is in favour of unity in diversity. In support of its conclusions, the Commission has cited the abrogation of Article 370 of India’s Constitution and Citizenship Amendment Act in 2019 and continued enforcement of the existing laws on cow slaughter, religious conversions, and even the Supreme Court’s ruling on Babri Masjid. This clearly reflects an utter lack of understanding of the social fabric of India, the benign intentions behind the Indian Government’s decisions and the independence of the judiciary in India. India is the largest functioning democracy in the world and its Constitution is explicit and unambiguous in guaranteeing its citizens the freedom not only to pursue but also preach the religion of their choice. There are adequate institutional and legal protections against discrimination on the basis of religion. India’s democratic and secular credentials are well established and India owes no explanation, least to ill-informed organisations such as USCIRF. At the same time, USCIRF deserves a befitting response. In a quick rebuttal, the official Spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs therefore justifiably rejected the Commission’s observations on India. While recalling that the Commission’s “biased and tendentious” comments against India were not new, he said that “on this occasion, its misrepresentation has reached new levels” and went on to add in a sarcastically retaliatory tone that “We regard it (the Commission) as an organization of particular concern and will treat it accordingly.” It is worth noting that the Chapter on India in the Annual Report did not enjoy full consensus. Two out of nine Members namely Commissioner Gary L. Bauer and Commissioner Tenzin Dorjee have recorded their explicit disagreement with fellow Commissioners over the recommendation that India be designated as a “country of particular concern”; they have given several valid arguments to assert that India cannot be equated with China and North Korea whom they have described as “rogue nations and authoritarian regimes”. Although Commissioner Johnnie Moore has not registered his dissent, he has made some very laudatory observations describing India, for instance, as “the largest democracy, governed by a pristine Constitution”, and a “great nation” that is the “very definition of diverse” Relations between India and the USA have seen upward swing in the past two decades, and have now developed into a "global strategic partnership", based on shared democratic values and increasing convergence of interests on bilateral, regional and global issues. The canvas of relations is so wide that isolated adverse comments from ill-informed organisations such as USCIRF are very unlikely to cause any dent to the strong relationship. Nevertheless, it would be prudent on the part of the US President and US Administration to be seen as ignoring the Report. At the same time, the Commission must be reminded to be fair and objective in its assessment of the conduct of sovereign nations, and learn a lesson from India which refrains from censuring other countries including the USA whose track-record in matters of racial discrimination is questionable. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

USCIRF’s futile attempt to damage India’s secular credentials

Donning blue protective suits, stoles and crosses, a group of Filipino Catholic priests have been roaming around Metro Manila's poorest communities in hopes of giving hope to the people amid a government-enforced lockdown.

Priests bring faith to Philippines amid lockdown

Amid a coronavirus lockdown which left Jerusalem's Old City streets empty, Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III washed the feet of 12 of his clergymen, during a ritual to mark Holy Thursday (April 16).

Down-sized Washing of the Feet ceremony takes place amid coronavirus outbreak

Tens of thousands of devout Hindus thronged a temple in southern Nepal where thousands of animals and birds were sacrificed this week, amid an outcry from animal rights activists who said the ritual was a cruel and gruesome spectacle.

Thousands of animals sacrificed in Nepal Hindu ritual amid outcry

A court in Kerala's Kottayam district on Saturday extended the bail of former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal in a nun rape case and also adjourned the matter till January six&nbsp;next year. 
 
Mulakkal had earlier today moved an application seeking an extension of his bail ahead of the commencement of his trial in the rape case. 
 
Mulakkal was arrested last year after a nun levelled allegations that he repeatedly raping her at the Kottayam's Kuravilangad convent between 2014 and 2016. He was earlier granted bail by the court. 
 
Kerala police had filed a charge sheet in the case earlier this year. Mulakkal, who faces charges of rape, can get life imprisonment or imprisonment of not less than seven years if found guilty.

A court in Kerala's Kottayam district on Saturday extended the bail of former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal in a nun rape case and also adjourned the matter till January six next year.

A court in Kerala's Kottayam district on Saturday extended the bail of former Jalandhar Bishop Franco Mulakkal in a nun rape case and also adjourned the matter till January six next year. Mulakkal had earlier today moved an application seeking an extension of his bail ahead of the commencement of his trial in the rape case. Mulakkal was arrested last year after a nun levelled allegations that he repeatedly raping her at the Kottayam's Kuravilangad convent between 2014 and 2016. He was earlier granted bail by the court. Kerala police had filed a charge sheet in the case earlier this year. Mulakkal, who faces charges of rape, can get life imprisonment or imprisonment of not less than seven years if found guilty.

Kerala: Court extends Franco Mulakkal's bail in nun rape case

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-leaves-japan-after-trip-centred-on-anti-nuclear-message-264572">Pope&nbsp;Francis</a> announced on Tuesday he would declare the use and possession of&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;weapons&nbsp;"immoral" in the&nbsp;Catholic&nbsp;Church's official&nbsp;manual, after visiting the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where atomic bombs were dropped during World War II.

The cities are the only areas to have been targeted by&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;weapons, the 1945 attacks by the United States killing 224,000 people.&nbsp;

The catechism is the church's official instruction book, which summarises the principles of the faith. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"I have said that the use of&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;weapons&nbsp;is&nbsp;immoral," the pontiff told reporters during his flight back to Rome.&nbsp;

"This must go into the catechism of the&nbsp;Catholic&nbsp;Church, not just use but also possession," he said, adding that "a government's madness can destroy humanity".

In 2018,&nbsp;Pope&nbsp;Francis added a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-arrives-in-japan-to-preach-anti-nuclear-message-264057">categorical opposition</a> to the death penalty to the document.&nbsp;

Francis criticised international organisations such as the United Nations Security Council for not taking decisive action to reduce arms or avoid wars.

He also blamed "the hypocrisy of those who produce&nbsp;weapons", referring to Christian countries in Europe.&nbsp;

"They talk peace and they live for&nbsp;weapons, it's called hypocrisy," he said.

"A nation must have the courage to say, I cannot speak of peace because my economy is gaining a lot with&nbsp;weapons&nbsp;manufacturing."

On the subject of&nbsp;nuclear&nbsp;energy, he stopped short of calling for a complete phase-out but said he believed its use came with risks.

Francis has long hankered after a trip to Japan ever since he was a young missionary.

The&nbsp;pope&nbsp;also reiterated his dream of travelling to China, saying he loves the country and would like to go to Beijing. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Pope Francis announced on Tuesday he would declare the use and possession of nuclear weapons "immoral" in the Catholic Church's official manual, after visiting the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where atomic bombs were dropped during World War II.

Pope Francis announced on Tuesday he would declare the use and possession of nuclear weapons "immoral" in the Catholic Church's official manual, after visiting the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki where atomic bombs were dropped during World War II. The cities are the only areas to have been targeted by nuclear weapons, the 1945 attacks by the United States killing 224,000 people. The catechism is the church's official instruction book, which summarises the principles of the faith. "I have said that the use of nuclear weapons is immoral," the pontiff told reporters during his flight back to Rome. "This must go into the catechism of the Catholic Church, not just use but also possession," he said, adding that "a government's madness can destroy humanity". In 2018, Pope Francis added a categorical opposition to the death penalty to the document. Francis criticised international organisations such as the United Nations Security Council for not taking decisive action to reduce arms or avoid wars. He also blamed "the hypocrisy of those who produce weapons", referring to Christian countries in Europe. "They talk peace and they live for weapons, it's called hypocrisy," he said. "A nation must have the courage to say, I cannot speak of peace because my economy is gaining a lot with weapons manufacturing." On the subject of nuclear energy, he stopped short of calling for a complete phase-out but said he believed its use came with risks. Francis has long hankered after a trip to Japan ever since he was a young missionary. The pope also reiterated his dream of travelling to China, saying he loves the country and would like to go to Beijing.

Pope Francis to list nuclear weapons as immoral in Catholic manual

Pope Francis, who years ago hoped to be a missionary in Japan, travels to the sites of the world's only atomic attacks this week seeking a ban on nuclear weapons.

The Argentine pontiff, 82, flies to Asia on Tuesday, where he will first visit Thailand and then Japan, including the two cities destroyed by devastating US nuclear attacks during the Second World War.

Despite both countries having less than 0.6 per cent Catholic populations, Francis is thirsty for interreligious dialogue with them.

He will arrive in Thailand on Wednesday before flying on to Japan on Saturday, where he will stay until November 26.

Sunday is set to be a marathon day with visits to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, where at least 74,000 people and 140,000 people respectively were killed by the atomic bombs attacks.&nbsp;

The August 6, 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and of Nagasaki three days later contributed to Japan's surrender and the end of the Second World War on August 15, months after Nazi Germany capitulated.

Father Yoshio Kajiyama, director of the Jesuit social centre in Tokyo, was born in Hiroshima shortly after the war and is eagerly awaiting the pope's anti-nuclear speech.

"My grandfather died the day of the bomb in Hiroshima, I never knew him. Four days later my aunt died when she was 15 years old," said the 64-year-old.

"If you grow up in Hiroshima, you can't forget the bomb."

No nukes message

The pope will make "as vigorous an appeal as possible in favour of concerted measures to completely eliminate nuclear weapons," the Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the United Nations in September.

"Using atomic energy to wage war is immoral," the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics told Japanese television in September.

A previous member of Japan's diplomatic mission to the Vatican, Shigeru Tokuyasu, said he hopes the visit will pull the world back from "the globalisation of indifference" over nuclear weapons.

But, said Tokuyasu, the pope should avoid discussing the politically sensitive issue of nuclear energy.

Francis is also set to meet victims of the devastating 2011 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan and the subsequent tsunami that between them killed 18,500 people and sparked the nuclear power catastrophe at Fukushima.

Fear of nuclear war

Francis is used to railing against countries that make money from weapons and has already voiced his fear of a nuclear war.

In January last year, he printed cards with a photo of a Nagasaki bomb victim, inscribing the words "the fruit of war" above his signature.

The 1945 photo, captured by American photographer Joe O'Donnell, showed a small boy standing ramrod straight carrying his dead younger brother on his back while waiting for his turn at a cremation site.

The late pope John Paul II visited Japan in 1981, where at Hiroshima's peace monument he pointed to war as "the work of man".

In August, the city of Hiroshima called on Japan to sign the U.N. treaty calling for a ban on nuclear weapons, something that all the world's nuclear powers have refused to do.

Japan, with its pacifist post-war constitution, adhered in 1967 to the principle of "not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory," despite counting on the US nuclear umbrella for protection.

Multiethnic Thailand

Before arriving in Thailand on Wednesday, the pope praised the "multiethnic nation" which "has worked to promote harmony and peaceful coexistence, not only among its habitants but throughout Southeast Asia."

In a video message to the Thai people, the pope said he hoped to "strengthen ties of friendship" with Buddhists.

Since&nbsp;Francis' election six years ago, he has made two trips to Asia, visiting the Philippines and Sri Lanka in 2014, followed by Myanmar and Bangladesh in 2017.

On Thursday in Bangkok, the pontiff is to pay a visit to supreme patriarch Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong at a Buddhist temple.

Pope Francis, who years ago hoped to be a missionary in Japan, travels to the sites of the world's only atomic attacks this week seeking a ban on nuclear weapons.

Pope Francis, who years ago hoped to be a missionary in Japan, travels to the sites of the world's only atomic attacks this week seeking a ban on nuclear weapons. The Argentine pontiff, 82, flies to Asia on Tuesday, where he will first visit Thailand and then Japan, including the two cities destroyed by devastating US nuclear attacks during the Second World War. Despite both countries having less than 0.6 per cent Catholic populations, Francis is thirsty for interreligious dialogue with them. He will arrive in Thailand on Wednesday before flying on to Japan on Saturday, where he will stay until November 26. Sunday is set to be a marathon day with visits to Nagasaki and Hiroshima, where at least 74,000 people and 140,000 people respectively were killed by the atomic bombs attacks. The August 6, 1945 bombing of Hiroshima and of Nagasaki three days later contributed to Japan's surrender and the end of the Second World War on August 15, months after Nazi Germany capitulated. Father Yoshio Kajiyama, director of the Jesuit social centre in Tokyo, was born in Hiroshima shortly after the war and is eagerly awaiting the pope's anti-nuclear speech. "My grandfather died the day of the bomb in Hiroshima, I never knew him. Four days later my aunt died when she was 15 years old," said the 64-year-old. "If you grow up in Hiroshima, you can't forget the bomb." No nukes message The pope will make "as vigorous an appeal as possible in favour of concerted measures to completely eliminate nuclear weapons," the Vatican number two Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the United Nations in September. "Using atomic energy to wage war is immoral," the head of the world's 1.3 billion Catholics told Japanese television in September. A previous member of Japan's diplomatic mission to the Vatican, Shigeru Tokuyasu, said he hopes the visit will pull the world back from "the globalisation of indifference" over nuclear weapons. But, said Tokuyasu, the pope should avoid discussing the politically sensitive issue of nuclear energy. Francis is also set to meet victims of the devastating 2011 earthquake that struck northeastern Japan and the subsequent tsunami that between them killed 18,500 people and sparked the nuclear power catastrophe at Fukushima. Fear of nuclear war Francis is used to railing against countries that make money from weapons and has already voiced his fear of a nuclear war. In January last year, he printed cards with a photo of a Nagasaki bomb victim, inscribing the words "the fruit of war" above his signature. The 1945 photo, captured by American photographer Joe O'Donnell, showed a small boy standing ramrod straight carrying his dead younger brother on his back while waiting for his turn at a cremation site. The late pope John Paul II visited Japan in 1981, where at Hiroshima's peace monument he pointed to war as "the work of man". In August, the city of Hiroshima called on Japan to sign the U.N. treaty calling for a ban on nuclear weapons, something that all the world's nuclear powers have refused to do. Japan, with its pacifist post-war constitution, adhered in 1967 to the principle of "not producing, possessing or allowing nuclear weapons on its territory," despite counting on the US nuclear umbrella for protection. Multiethnic Thailand Before arriving in Thailand on Wednesday, the pope praised the "multiethnic nation" which "has worked to promote harmony and peaceful coexistence, not only among its habitants but throughout Southeast Asia." In a video message to the Thai people, the pope said he hoped to "strengthen ties of friendship" with Buddhists. Since Francis' election six years ago, he has made two trips to Asia, visiting the Philippines and Sri Lanka in 2014, followed by Myanmar and Bangladesh in 2017. On Thursday in Bangkok, the pontiff is to pay a visit to supreme patriarch Somdej Phra Maha Muneewong at a Buddhist temple.

Pope Francis to visit Hiroshima, Nagasaki on anti-nuclear weapon mission

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kerala-ahead-of-sabarimala-temples-opening-security-arrangements-tightened-in-pathanamthitta-262473">The Sabarimala Temple</a> will open today for the Mandala Puja amid tight security arrangements in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district. 
 
Kerala Devaswom Board Minister K Surendran had on Friday said that the state government will not provide protection to any woman visiting the temple and those who need protection should get an order from the Supreme Court. 
 
Pathanamthitta District Collector, PB Nooh said that all basic necessities such as toilets, water kiosks and medical emergency centres are in place for the pilgrims. 
 
"All basic arrangements are in place. We have deployed over 800 medical staff and established 16 medical emergency centres. Around 2,400 toilets and more than 250 water kiosks are ready. We have more than 1,000 sanitation workers deployed to ensure a clean atmosphere," he told reporters here. 
 
Women rights activist Trupti Desai, who has been a vehement critic of the restriction on the entry of women of a certain age group in the temple, had said that she will be visiting the shrine after November 20 regardless of whether or not she is provided security cover by the state government. 
 
The opening of the shrine comes days after a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had referred a clutch of petitions seeking review of its order which paved the way for the entry of women into Sabarimala temple in Kerala to a larger seven-judge bench by a majority 3:2 ruling. 
 
The top court also observed that the right to worship by an individual cannot outweigh the rights of a religious group. 
 
While Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices A M Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra sent the review petitions to a larger bench, Justices Nariman and Chandrachud authored a dissenting judgment. 
 
The review petitions challenged the authority of the apex court to intervene in the belief of the people. It argued that the temple deity is a "Brahmachari" (celibate) and "centuries-old beliefs" should not be disturbed by the entry of menstruating women worshippers. 
 
The Supreme Court had lifted a traditional ban on entry of women of menstrual age (10-50 years) on September 28 last year.

Despite the apex court's ruling, a string of protests took place at the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/kerala-government-wont-give-protection-to-women-visiting-sabarimala-temple-says-kerala-devaswom-board-minister-262448">Sabarimala temple</a> and its surrounding areas in the state, wherein several women attempted to visit the shrine but were stopped by Lord Ayyappa devotees.

The Sabarimala Temple will open today for the Mandala Puja amid tight security arrangements in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district. Kerala Devaswom Board Minister K Surendran had on Friday said that the state government will not provide protection to any woman visiting the temple and those who need protection should get an order from the Supreme Court.

The Sabarimala Temple will open today for the Mandala Puja amid tight security arrangements in Kerala's Pathanamthitta district. Kerala Devaswom Board Minister K Surendran had on Friday said that the state government will not provide protection to any woman visiting the temple and those who need protection should get an order from the Supreme Court. Pathanamthitta District Collector, PB Nooh said that all basic necessities such as toilets, water kiosks and medical emergency centres are in place for the pilgrims. "All basic arrangements are in place. We have deployed over 800 medical staff and established 16 medical emergency centres. Around 2,400 toilets and more than 250 water kiosks are ready. We have more than 1,000 sanitation workers deployed to ensure a clean atmosphere," he told reporters here. Women rights activist Trupti Desai, who has been a vehement critic of the restriction on the entry of women of a certain age group in the temple, had said that she will be visiting the shrine after November 20 regardless of whether or not she is provided security cover by the state government. The opening of the shrine comes days after a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had referred a clutch of petitions seeking review of its order which paved the way for the entry of women into Sabarimala temple in Kerala to a larger seven-judge bench by a majority 3:2 ruling. The top court also observed that the right to worship by an individual cannot outweigh the rights of a religious group. While Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, Justices A M Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra sent the review petitions to a larger bench, Justices Nariman and Chandrachud authored a dissenting judgment. The review petitions challenged the authority of the apex court to intervene in the belief of the people. It argued that the temple deity is a "Brahmachari" (celibate) and "centuries-old beliefs" should not be disturbed by the entry of menstruating women worshippers. The Supreme Court had lifted a traditional ban on entry of women of menstrual age (10-50 years) on September 28 last year. Despite the apex court's ruling, a string of protests took place at the Sabarimala temple and its surrounding areas in the state, wherein several women attempted to visit the shrine but were stopped by Lord Ayyappa devotees.

Kerala: Sabarimala temple to reopen today, tight security in place

The Islamic State group's Afghan branch has been "defeated" in one of the key eastern provinces where it first sought to establish a stronghold, a top Afghan security official said Sunday.

The claim comes after the jihadists first burst into Afghanistan's conflict in 2015, when they overran large parts of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, near the Pakistan border.

In the years since, they have claimed responsibility for a string of horrific bombings across Afghanistan, including at a wedding hall in Kabul, and have been continually attacked by US, Afghan and even Taliban forces.

IS "were defeated in Nangarhar, their centres were destroyed", acting interior minister Massoud Andarabi told reporters in Jalalabad, the Nangarhar provincial capital, amid ongoing operations against the jihadists.&nbsp;

"We will soon destroy their last centres. With the people's help, we will completely eliminate them. Some of their smaller groups are surrendering, other small groups will be eliminated in other provinces."

He went on to say that IS were being "completely defeated" in Afghanistan.

US Forces-Afghanistan, which closely monitors the IS footprint in Afghanistan, declined to comment, referring a query back to the Interior Ministry.

Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman for Nangarhar's governor, said 32 IS fighters surrendered to government forces on Saturday.&nbsp;

"They are coming in big numbers," he told AFP.&nbsp;

IS have suffered a string of major defeats in recent months, including the collapse of their self-proclaimed "caliphate" in Syria and the death of the group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a US raid in Syria last month.&nbsp;

Connections between Baghdadi and the IS affiliate in Afghanistan, better known as IS in the Khorasan, or IS-K, have always been murky.&nbsp;

But Khogyani said Baghdadi's death had disrupted IS-K's command and control structure.

"It has affected the fighters on the ground here, they are either surrendering to the government or going back to their ordinary lives," he said.

The Islamic State group's Afghan branch has been "defeated" in one of the key eastern provinces where it first sought to establish a stronghold, a top Afghan security official said Sunday.

The Islamic State group's Afghan branch has been "defeated" in one of the key eastern provinces where it first sought to establish a stronghold, a top Afghan security official said Sunday. The claim comes after the jihadists first burst into Afghanistan's conflict in 2015, when they overran large parts of Nangarhar and Kunar provinces, near the Pakistan border. In the years since, they have claimed responsibility for a string of horrific bombings across Afghanistan, including at a wedding hall in Kabul, and have been continually attacked by US, Afghan and even Taliban forces. IS "were defeated in Nangarhar, their centres were destroyed", acting interior minister Massoud Andarabi told reporters in Jalalabad, the Nangarhar provincial capital, amid ongoing operations against the jihadists. "We will soon destroy their last centres. With the people's help, we will completely eliminate them. Some of their smaller groups are surrendering, other small groups will be eliminated in other provinces." He went on to say that IS were being "completely defeated" in Afghanistan. US Forces-Afghanistan, which closely monitors the IS footprint in Afghanistan, declined to comment, referring a query back to the Interior Ministry. Attaullah Khogyani, the spokesman for Nangarhar's governor, said 32 IS fighters surrendered to government forces on Saturday. "They are coming in big numbers," he told AFP. IS have suffered a string of major defeats in recent months, including the collapse of their self-proclaimed "caliphate" in Syria and the death of the group's leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who was killed in a US raid in Syria last month. Connections between Baghdadi and the IS affiliate in Afghanistan, better known as IS in the Khorasan, or IS-K, have always been murky. But Khogyani said Baghdadi's death had disrupted IS-K's command and control structure. "It has affected the fighters on the ground here, they are either surrendering to the government or going back to their ordinary lives," he said.

Islamic State 'defeated' in key Afghan province: Report

More than 500 people were&nbsp;arrested&nbsp;after&nbsp;clashes in&nbsp;Indonesia's capital amid <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-rally-across-indonesia-in-fresh-legal-reform-protests-252836">nationwide&nbsp;protests</a>&nbsp;against a raft of divisive reforms, including <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-president-delays-law-criminalising-sex-outside-of-marriage-250820">banning pre-marital sex</a> and weakening the anti-graft agency, authorities said Tuesday.

The arrests came&nbsp;after&nbsp;a night of pitched street battles between riot police and stone-throwing protesters many high school and university students,&nbsp;in Jakarta's sprawling downtown core.

Watch Video:&nbsp;Indonesian police fire tear gas to break up anti-graft, sex-ban law protests

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Security forces geared up for more unrest Tuesday as some 575 lawmakers were sworn in at the country's heavily barricaded parliament building.

Since last week, at least two students have died and&nbsp;hundreds&nbsp;more have been injured as a wave of unrest swept across the Southeast Asian archipelago, just weeks before President Joko Widodo kicks off another term as head of the world's third-biggest democracy.

The&nbsp;protests&nbsp;are among the biggest student rallies since mass street demonstrations in 1998 toppled the Suharto dictatorship.

"So far we have detained 519 rioters from yesterday's demonstration," Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono told AFP Tuesday.

"We're questioning them to determine whether or not they are students," he added.

The government has sought to portray the&nbsp;protests&nbsp;as being hijacked by agitators aiming to disrupt the government and suggested they were similar to deadly post-election riots that paralysed Jakarta in May.

National police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo was quoted by local media as saying that police had detained 649 demonstrators from Monday's&nbsp;protests.

Several dozen protesters were injured Monday at rallies in other parts of the country, authorities said.

The demonstrations have been fuelled by a proposed bill that includes dozens of legal changes&nbsp;from criminalising pre-marital sex and restricting contraceptive sales, to making it illegal to insult the president and toughening the Muslim-majority country's blasphemy law.

Passage of the reforms has now been delayed, and Widodo has said he would also consider revising a separate bill that critics fear would dilute the powers of&nbsp;Indonesia's corruption-fighting agency.

Some 13 police officers have been questioned and detained over the deaths of two students in riots on Sulawesi island last week.

Police have previously denied responsibility.

Students have issued a wide-ranging list of demands including scrapping some criminal-code changes, withdrawing troops from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/indonesia-raises-the-minimum-age-for-brides-to-end-child-marriage-250308">Indonesia</a>'s restive Papua region, and halting forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo that unleashed toxic haze across Southeast Asia.

Updating&nbsp;Indonesia's criminal code,&nbsp;which dates back to the Dutch colonial era&nbsp;has been debated for decades, but there was a renewed push this year backed by conservative Islamic groups.

The controversial changes could affect millions of Indonesians, including gay and heterosexual couples who might face jail for having sex outside wedlock or having an affair.

More than 500 people were arrested after clashes in Indonesia's capital amid nationwide protests against a raft of divisive reforms, including banning pre-marital sex and weakening the anti-graft agency, authorities said Tuesday.

More than 500 people were arrested after clashes in Indonesia's capital amid nationwide protests against a raft of divisive reforms, including banning pre-marital sex and weakening the anti-graft agency, authorities said Tuesday. The arrests came after a night of pitched street battles between riot police and stone-throwing protesters many high school and university students, in Jakarta's sprawling downtown core. Watch Video: Indonesian police fire tear gas to break up anti-graft, sex-ban law protests × Security forces geared up for more unrest Tuesday as some 575 lawmakers were sworn in at the country's heavily barricaded parliament building. Since last week, at least two students have died and hundreds more have been injured as a wave of unrest swept across the Southeast Asian archipelago, just weeks before President Joko Widodo kicks off another term as head of the world's third-biggest democracy. The protests are among the biggest student rallies since mass street demonstrations in 1998 toppled the Suharto dictatorship. "So far we have detained 519 rioters from yesterday's demonstration," Jakarta police spokesman Argo Yuwono told AFP Tuesday. "We're questioning them to determine whether or not they are students," he added. The government has sought to portray the protests as being hijacked by agitators aiming to disrupt the government and suggested they were similar to deadly post-election riots that paralysed Jakarta in May. National police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo was quoted by local media as saying that police had detained 649 demonstrators from Monday's protests. Several dozen protesters were injured Monday at rallies in other parts of the country, authorities said. The demonstrations have been fuelled by a proposed bill that includes dozens of legal changes from criminalising pre-marital sex and restricting contraceptive sales, to making it illegal to insult the president and toughening the Muslim-majority country's blasphemy law. Passage of the reforms has now been delayed, and Widodo has said he would also consider revising a separate bill that critics fear would dilute the powers of Indonesia's corruption-fighting agency. Some 13 police officers have been questioned and detained over the deaths of two students in riots on Sulawesi island last week. Police have previously denied responsibility. Students have issued a wide-ranging list of demands including scrapping some criminal-code changes, withdrawing troops from Indonesia's restive Papua region, and halting forest fires in Sumatra and Borneo that unleashed toxic haze across Southeast Asia. Updating Indonesia's criminal code, which dates back to the Dutch colonial era has been debated for decades, but there was a renewed push this year backed by conservative Islamic groups. The controversial changes could affect millions of Indonesians, including gay and heterosexual couples who might face jail for having sex outside wedlock or having an affair.

Hundreds arrested in Indonesia after fresh protests over legal-reforms

&nbsp;Japanese police on Monday arrested a man claiming to be Chinese for throwing a black ink-like liquid on a curtain at one of the buildings of Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for war dead, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/.../high-end-rebrand-makes-life-sweet-for-japans- ice-farmers-243768">Japan</a>'s neighbours see the shrine as a symbol of the country's former militarism, since it honours 14 Japanese leaders convicted by an Allied tribunal as war criminals, along with other war dead.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the shrine on Thursday, the anniversary of Japan's World War Two surrender, but refrained from visiting in person.

Details such as the motives, address and occupation of the man arrested for property damage were unclear, a police official said.

No one was immediately available for comment at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo.

Japanese police on Monday arrested a man claiming to be Chinese for throwing a black ink-like liquid on a curtain at one of the buildings of Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for war dead, the Metropolitan Police Department said.

Japanese police on Monday arrested a man claiming to be Chinese for throwing a black ink-like liquid on a curtain at one of the buildings of Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine for war dead, the Metropolitan Police Department said. Japan's neighbours see the shrine as a symbol of the country's former militarism, since it honours 14 Japanese leaders convicted by an Allied tribunal as war criminals, along with other war dead. Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a ritual offering to the shrine on Thursday, the anniversary of Japan's World War Two surrender, but refrained from visiting in person. Details such as the motives, address and occupation of the man arrested for property damage were unclear, a police official said. No one was immediately available for comment at the Chinese embassy in Tokyo.

Japan shrine for war dead vandalised by man claiming to be Chinese

&nbsp;Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has described the practice of forced conversions as un-Islamic and said that those who do so are unaware of the history of Islam.

Addressing an event on the occasion of National Minority Day in Islamabad&nbsp;on Monday, Khan invoked Prophet Mohammed saying he gave religious freedom to minorities and protected their places of worship "because&nbsp;the Quran orders that there be no compulsion in religion".

"How can we then take it into our own hands to forcefully convert someone to Islam -- either by marrying (non-Muslim) women or on gunpoint or to (by threatening to) kill someone because of their religion?" The Dawn quoted him as saying.

"All these things are un-Islamic. If God had not given his messengers the power to impose their beliefs on someone, who are we (to do so)?" he asked.

The cricketer-turned-politician asserted that there was no precedent in Islamic history for forcefully converting others.

Khan`s comments came after Pakistan`s independent human rights watchdog in April had raised concerns over the increasing incidents of forced conversions and marriages of Hindu and Christian girls to Muslim men every year.

In its annual report, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that the government has done little to stop forced marriages and urged the lawmakers to pass effective legislation&nbsp;to end the practice.

Khan reiterated his commitment to building Pakistan based on the model of 'State of Madina', where citizens are entrusted with rights and provision of facilities without any discrimination, according to Radio Pakistan.

He also said that his government is committed to operationalizing the Kartarpur corridor on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.&nbsp;

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has described the practice of forced conversions as un-Islamic and said that those who do so are unaware of the history of Islam.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has described the practice of forced conversions as un-Islamic and said that those who do so are unaware of the history of Islam. Addressing an event on the occasion of National Minority Day in Islamabad on Monday, Khan invoked Prophet Mohammed saying he gave religious freedom to minorities and protected their places of worship "because the Quran orders that there be no compulsion in religion". "How can we then take it into our own hands to forcefully convert someone to Islam -- either by marrying (non-Muslim) women or on gunpoint or to (by threatening to) kill someone because of their religion?" The Dawn quoted him as saying. "All these things are un-Islamic. If God had not given his messengers the power to impose their beliefs on someone, who are we (to do so)?" he asked. The cricketer-turned-politician asserted that there was no precedent in Islamic history for forcefully converting others. Khan`s comments came after Pakistan`s independent human rights watchdog in April had raised concerns over the increasing incidents of forced conversions and marriages of Hindu and Christian girls to Muslim men every year. In its annual report, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that the government has done little to stop forced marriages and urged the lawmakers to pass effective legislation to end the practice. Khan reiterated his commitment to building Pakistan based on the model of 'State of Madina', where citizens are entrusted with rights and provision of facilities without any discrimination, according to Radio Pakistan. He also said that his government is committed to operationalizing the Kartarpur corridor on the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.

Forced conversions are un-Islamic: Imran Khan

Shopping centers, street markets and high-end stores in Pakistan have been bustling with customers for the past few days in preparation for the Eid-el Fitr, a religious festival that marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Shops busy in Karachi ahead of Eid el Fitr

I, most times, refrain from writing on religions or&nbsp;ideologies. There is a fear that I might hurt someone's sentiments. But amidst the&nbsp;rising conflict, I had to pour out this time.

When I hear about a crime, inhuman atrocities, I react in a similar way irrespective of whether the perpetrators or victims&nbsp;were Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians.

Whether it's Kathua rape case (8-year-old Muslim girl was gangraped and killed in Jammu and Kashmir) or Mandsaur crime (8-year-old Hindu girl was gangraped in Madhya Pradesh) - the pain I felt was the same, the words I used to express my agony were the same.

Nirbhaya rape case or Bilkis Bano's gangrape, the sense of relief was, again, the same when I heard of culprits being awarded appropriate punishments for the grave atrocities they had committed.

Akhlaq's lynching by cow vigilantes or Ankit Saxena's murder by his Muslim girlfriend's family - the condemnation from my side was indistinguishable.

With the country being clearly divided into the two now - Right Wing&nbsp;and Liberals, it's difficult for us 'neutrals' to speak our mind because we fear being trolled by either faction. (Yes, we exist).

Conflict over religion and ideologies is on the&nbsp;rise. Even Twitter CEO wasn't spared. Some people handed him a placard that said 'Smash Brahminical patriarchy'. Poor Jack Dorsey, who didn't even know what he was holding, was put in legal trouble for an indeliberate hurt he caused.

Same was the case with Air Vistara saga, the airlines decided to honour a war veteran, General G D Bakshi, by posting his inflight picture on Twitter. People opposed to General Bakshi's views&nbsp;trolled the airlines&nbsp;to the extent that Air Vistara had to delete the tweet. 
 
Lest we forget, Surf Excel's Holi advertisement received a lot of backlash even when&nbsp;it promoted Hindu-Muslim harmony.

Let's understand that our ideology&nbsp;may differ but it's not ethical to make the third party suffer. Twitter CEO incident, Surf Excel ad and Air Vistara saga are cases in point.

Moreover, people who were claiming that Buddhist extremists were behind the attacks which killed over 350 people in Sri Lanka, went mum after it was revealed that bombings were planned and executed by ISIS-inspired Muslim radicals.

It's, obviously, okay to follow a specific ideology, this doesn't make us enemies. However, there is a problem when we take extreme positions.

There are extremists in both the factions - Right and Left - which also leads to 'selective outrage'. Crime doesn't have a religion. Hate crime should be condemned as a hate crime by everyone.&nbsp;

Branding each other as 'Bhakts' and 'Urban Naxals', fighting Twitter battles with an intention to score brownie points over the other -&nbsp; shouldn't we all&nbsp;be blamed for inciting hatred?

Let there be opponents and not enemies. Healthy differences and debates are totally fine but extreme views are forcing us to treat&nbsp;everything that goes around with opposing visions. It's so important to remind ourselves that religion doesn't&nbsp;take precedence over humanity. 
 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)&nbsp;

I, most times, refrain from writing on religions or ideologies. There is a fear that I might hurt someone's sentiments. But amidst the rising conflict, I had to pour out this time.

I, most times, refrain from writing on religions or ideologies. There is a fear that I might hurt someone's sentiments. But amidst the rising conflict, I had to pour out this time. When I hear about a crime, inhuman atrocities, I react in a similar way irrespective of whether the perpetrators or victims were Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians. Whether it's Kathua rape case (8-year-old Muslim girl was gangraped and killed in Jammu and Kashmir) or Mandsaur crime (8-year-old Hindu girl was gangraped in Madhya Pradesh) - the pain I felt was the same, the words I used to express my agony were the same. Nirbhaya rape case or Bilkis Bano's gangrape, the sense of relief was, again, the same when I heard of culprits being awarded appropriate punishments for the grave atrocities they had committed. Akhlaq's lynching by cow vigilantes or Ankit Saxena's murder by his Muslim girlfriend's family - the condemnation from my side was indistinguishable. With the country being clearly divided into the two now - Right Wing and Liberals, it's difficult for us 'neutrals' to speak our mind because we fear being trolled by either faction. (Yes, we exist). Conflict over religion and ideologies is on the rise. Even Twitter CEO wasn't spared. Some people handed him a placard that said 'Smash Brahminical patriarchy'. Poor Jack Dorsey, who didn't even know what he was holding, was put in legal trouble for an indeliberate hurt he caused. Same was the case with Air Vistara saga, the airlines decided to honour a war veteran, General G D Bakshi, by posting his inflight picture on Twitter. People opposed to General Bakshi's views trolled the airlines to the extent that Air Vistara had to delete the tweet. Lest we forget, Surf Excel's Holi advertisement received a lot of backlash even when it promoted Hindu-Muslim harmony. Let's understand that our ideology may differ but it's not ethical to make the third party suffer. Twitter CEO incident, Surf Excel ad and Air Vistara saga are cases in point. Moreover, people who were claiming that Buddhist extremists were behind the attacks which killed over 350 people in Sri Lanka, went mum after it was revealed that bombings were planned and executed by ISIS-inspired Muslim radicals. It's, obviously, okay to follow a specific ideology, this doesn't make us enemies. However, there is a problem when we take extreme positions. There are extremists in both the factions - Right and Left - which also leads to 'selective outrage'. Crime doesn't have a religion. Hate crime should be condemned as a hate crime by everyone. Branding each other as 'Bhakts' and 'Urban Naxals', fighting Twitter battles with an intention to score brownie points over the other - shouldn't we all be blamed for inciting hatred? Let there be opponents and not enemies. Healthy differences and debates are totally fine but extreme views are forcing us to treat everything that goes around with opposing visions. It's so important to remind ourselves that religion doesn't take precedence over humanity. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

It's okay to be a right winger or a liberal, but worrying when one behaves like an extremist

A post on her Facebook wall reads, “Received a No Caste, No Religion Government certificate”. This post is followed by innumerable congratulatory posts by her friends and colleagues.&nbsp;

This is the profile of 35-year old Sneha Parthibaraja, an advocate based out of Tirupattur in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district. But there is an interesting tale behind this certificate, which leads us to her childhood.&nbsp;

She is the eldest daughter of Aanandkrishnan and Manimozhi, an inter-caste couple who got married without following any wedding rituals or traditions. As opposed to the tradition of using the first letter of the father’s name as one’s initial, she carries the first letters of her mother’s and father’s names respectively. Hence she is M A Sneha. &nbsp;

Her first brush with caste and religion was in school. While she was in her First standard, the school authorities questioned her parents about her caste, when they replied that she had none. They asked for her religion, to which they again replied in the negative. This trend continued all through her formative years, even during college, she had left the Caste and religion columns blank, while filling up the application forms. Speaking to WION she said, “our friends and relatives have always supported this way of life and I was considered a role model in school.”

<img alt="Sneha-certi" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="30e26ecd-66ac-4b48-9632-39d6679febc8" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/certificate.JPG" />

This upbringing wasn’t just limited to her, her younger sisters Mumtaj Suriya and Jennifer were also given names that belonged to different faiths. Sneha added that this upbringing wasn’t without challenges and taunts, their family would often get asked how they would get the girls married off and how they would avail reservation benefits without a caste certificate or faith in religion. Despite all of it, Sneha followed her parent's footsteps, she married Professor Parthiba Raja, in a ceremony sans religious and caste based-rituals.&nbsp;

<img alt="Sneha-family" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1b2d41f6-d91c-4eb3-9528-457602210930" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IMG-20190214-WA0063.jpg" />

The couple has three daughters, Aathira Nazreen, Aathila Irene and Aarifa Jessy who have been named in a manner that transcends religion and caste identities. She may be an outlier in a society that demands Caste certificates almost everywhere, but her strong belief in the ideals of Karl Marx, Dr Ambedkar and Periyar has been the prime motivation.&nbsp;

On realizing that there are certificates for those that follow the caste system, but none for those like Sneha who do not follow either religion or caste.&nbsp;

That’s when the quest for a ‘No Caste, No Religion’ Certificate began. In her struggle for the certificate, she was faced with Government officials who claimed that they lacked the power and authority to issue such a certificate.&nbsp;

Sneha said that between 2010-17 she had given 5 requisition letters to seek the Certificate, but all of them went in vain. The scenario changed when she finally applied for a community certificate by following due procedure via the Village Administrative Officer and Tahsildar, while also explaining her objective.&nbsp;

But all of her efforts attained fruition on February 5th when the Tirupattur Tahsildar TS Sathiyamoorthy issued the certificate on 5th February.&nbsp;

“I see this certificate as a recognition of the system that we have been following as a family”, she told WION.&nbsp;

However, she also clarifies that they are in no way against the reservation system. She believes that Reservation has been a boon for the oppressed castes. Our battle is against oppression but not caste reservation, she adds.

Speaking about the certificate, her husband Parthiba Raja said, “This system of not following religion or caste is what brought us together in life. From a young age she has been fighting this battle, now we are delighted that she has got formal recognition. We have also been getting calls and queries from like-minded people on how they could apply for this certificate”.&nbsp;

He adds, “We want a caste-free society that accepts people as they are. We are for social justice. Until we have a truly caste-free society, the oppressed people must assert their caste identity and avail reservations and better opportunities.”&nbsp;

Sneha’s feat has gained more traction after Actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan tweeted out a picture of her and congratulated her. Since then wishes have been pouring in from social media platforms, hailing her revolutionary step. As word spreads about this unique and unprecedented development, many more applicants could follow suit.

A post on her Facebook wall reads, “Received a No Caste, No Religion Government certificate”. This post is followed by innumerable congratulatory posts by her friends and colleagues.

A post on her Facebook wall reads, “Received a No Caste, No Religion Government certificate”. This post is followed by innumerable congratulatory posts by her friends and colleagues. This is the profile of 35-year old Sneha Parthibaraja, an advocate based out of Tirupattur in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore district. But there is an interesting tale behind this certificate, which leads us to her childhood. She is the eldest daughter of Aanandkrishnan and Manimozhi, an inter-caste couple who got married without following any wedding rituals or traditions. As opposed to the tradition of using the first letter of the father’s name as one’s initial, she carries the first letters of her mother’s and father’s names respectively. Hence she is M A Sneha. Her first brush with caste and religion was in school. While she was in her First standard, the school authorities questioned her parents about her caste, when they replied that she had none. They asked for her religion, to which they again replied in the negative. This trend continued all through her formative years, even during college, she had left the Caste and religion columns blank, while filling up the application forms. Speaking to WION she said, “our friends and relatives have always supported this way of life and I was considered a role model in school.” This upbringing wasn’t just limited to her, her younger sisters Mumtaj Suriya and Jennifer were also given names that belonged to different faiths. Sneha added that this upbringing wasn’t without challenges and taunts, their family would often get asked how they would get the girls married off and how they would avail reservation benefits without a caste certificate or faith in religion. Despite all of it, Sneha followed her parent's footsteps, she married Professor Parthiba Raja, in a ceremony sans religious and caste based-rituals. The couple has three daughters, Aathira Nazreen, Aathila Irene and Aarifa Jessy who have been named in a manner that transcends religion and caste identities. She may be an outlier in a society that demands Caste certificates almost everywhere, but her strong belief in the ideals of Karl Marx, Dr Ambedkar and Periyar has been the prime motivation. On realizing that there are certificates for those that follow the caste system, but none for those like Sneha who do not follow either religion or caste. That’s when the quest for a ‘No Caste, No Religion’ Certificate began. In her struggle for the certificate, she was faced with Government officials who claimed that they lacked the power and authority to issue such a certificate. Sneha said that between 2010-17 she had given 5 requisition letters to seek the Certificate, but all of them went in vain. The scenario changed when she finally applied for a community certificate by following due procedure via the Village Administrative Officer and Tahsildar, while also explaining her objective. But all of her efforts attained fruition on February 5th when the Tirupattur Tahsildar TS Sathiyamoorthy issued the certificate on 5th February. “I see this certificate as a recognition of the system that we have been following as a family”, she told WION. However, she also clarifies that they are in no way against the reservation system. She believes that Reservation has been a boon for the oppressed castes. Our battle is against oppression but not caste reservation, she adds. Speaking about the certificate, her husband Parthiba Raja said, “This system of not following religion or caste is what brought us together in life. From a young age she has been fighting this battle, now we are delighted that she has got formal recognition. We have also been getting calls and queries from like-minded people on how they could apply for this certificate”. He adds, “We want a caste-free society that accepts people as they are. We are for social justice. Until we have a truly caste-free society, the oppressed people must assert their caste identity and avail reservations and better opportunities.” Sneha’s feat has gained more traction after Actor-turned politician Kamal Haasan tweeted out a picture of her and congratulated her. Since then wishes have been pouring in from social media platforms, hailing her revolutionary step. As word spreads about this unique and unprecedented development, many more applicants could follow suit.

Sneha Parthibaraja, India's first woman without religion, without caste

A global rise of nationalist and populist tendencies has not only given anti-migrant, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and racist tendencies a new lease on life, but opened the door to alliances between groups that once would have had nothing to do with one another.

Developments in Israel, Indonesia and Germany suggest renewed nationalism and populism is in some cases redefining how states perceive concepts of national interest and purpose and how religious and ethnic communities seek to shield themselves against discrimination, persecution and/or extremism.

The redefinition was no more evident than when Israel, founded as a safe haven for Jews irrespective of creed, sect or political belief, sided against its own ambassador with authoritarian Hungarian President Victor Orban, a proponent of Christianity rather than multi-culturalism as the glue of European society, in denouncing billionaire left-wing philanthropist George Soros, a survivor of the Holocaust.

In doing so, Israel, founded on the belief that Jews needed a state to shield themselves against discrimination and persecution rooted in anti-Semitic prejudice and racism that has been endemic in Christian culture, sided not only with a Christian nationalist leader in Hungary but with a global right-wing trend that sees Soros as the mastermind of a globalist movement, determined to subvert the established order and dilute the white, Christian nature of societies through immigration.

Israel’s acknowledgement of the redefinition of its raison d’etre came in response to a Facebook posting by Yossi Amrani, the Jewish state’s representative in Hungary. Responding to anti-immigration billboards depicting a smiling Soros with the slogan, ‘Let's not let Soros have the last laugh,’ Amrani, backed by Hungarian Jewish leaders, warned that they evoked "sad memories, but also sow hatred and fear."

Israel’s foreign ministry, days before a visit to Hungary by prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu, rather than taking a firm stand on rising anti-Semitism, effectively defined the Jewish state’s interest as joining Orban in denouncing a Jew.

As a result, Israel, despite seeing itself as the fulfilment of &nbsp;the Biblical prophecies of the Ingathering of the Exiles and the protector of Jewish rights, opted for denouncing a Jew together with a leader whose policies prompted the European Parliament to pursue unprecedented disciplinary action against Hungary over alleged breaches of the European Union's core values, including minority rights.

“In no way was the (ambassador’s) statement meant to delegitimise criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel’s democratically elected governments by funding organizations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself,” the ministry said.

The implicit message, like Israel’s decision to bar entry to its Jewish critics despite its law of return that grants anyone who is Jewish a right to citizenship, was that Israel rather than being the potential home of all Jews was a home only to those who support the government’s policies.

Netanyahu’s alignment of Israel with right-wing nationalist and populist forces like his support for ultra-orthodox Jewish groups that deny equal rights for less stringent religious trends in Judaism on issues such as marriage, divorce, conversion and prayer at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, are likely to drive a wedge between the Jewish state and world Jewry, particularly in the United States.

The wedge, that puts Israel at odds with the Jewish Diaspora, could be deepened by this week’s Democratic Party success in regaining a majority in the US House of Representatives. Jews historically tend to vote Democratic in the US, a stark contrast with Netanyahu’s growing alliance with right-wing evangelists who support Israel because they believe the Messiah will only return to a Holy Land controlled by Jews.

Many evangelists, however, also believe that Jews will not be saved on the Day of Judgement without first converting to Christianity.

Israel’s divisive approach to World Jewry is not without its supporters in the Jewish Diaspora. Anti-Muslim and anti-migration sentiments have prompted some Jews to form their own group within Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party.

The notion that bigotry and prejudice are the best defences against rising anti-Semitism has meant that AfD Jews have little compunction about joining a party whose members favour abandoning Germany’s culture of remembrance and atonement for its Nazi past.

One AfD leader, Alexander Gauland, described Nazism as a “speck of bird poop in more than 1,000 years of successful German history.”

To be fair, the issue of rising prejudice and bigotry is not the exclusive perch of right-wing nationalist and populists. Britain’s Labour Party, traditionally a home for Jewish voters and activists, has been plagued by charges of anti-Semitism and reluctance to put its own house in order.

Moreover, the emergence of strange bedfellows in a world in which ideological affinity replaces defence of a community’s minority rights is not uniquely Israeli or Jewish.

Nahdlatul Ulama, the world’s largest Islamic movements with some 94 million members in Indonesia, in a bid to reform Islam and counter all political expressions of the faith, risks being tainted by its potential tactical association with Islamophobes and Christian fundamentalists who would project their alliance as Muslim justification of their perception of the evils of Islam.

Nahdlatul Ulama is not alone in the Muslim world’s opportunistic engagement with the Christian right.

Saudi rulers, who long aligned themselves with a supremacist, intolerant interpretation of Islam that viewed Christians as swine and Jews as apes have discovered that they share with evangelists and fundamentalist Christians, a significant voting bloc in the United States and part of President Donald Trump’s support base, conservative family values as well as political interests.

In a first, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, last week met with a delegation of US evangelists that included Reverend Johnnie Moore, Israel-based evangelical political strategist-turned-novelist Joel Rosenberg, former congresswoman Michele Bachmann; and prominent religious broadcasters.

The jury is out on whether the fallout of the rise of nationalism, populism and extremism heralds a new world in which bigotry and prejudice are legitimised as a defence strategy against discrimination, racism and persecution and an antidote to radicalism – a world that would likely prove to be far more divided and polarised and likely increasingly unsafe for minorities on the receiving end.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) 
&nbsp;

A global rise of nationalist and populist tendencies has not only given anti-migrant, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and racist tendencies a new lease on life, but opened the door to alliances between groups that once would have had nothing to do with one another.

A global rise of nationalist and populist tendencies has not only given anti-migrant, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic and racist tendencies a new lease on life, but opened the door to alliances between groups that once would have had nothing to do with one another. Developments in Israel, Indonesia and Germany suggest renewed nationalism and populism is in some cases redefining how states perceive concepts of national interest and purpose and how religious and ethnic communities seek to shield themselves against discrimination, persecution and/or extremism. The redefinition was no more evident than when Israel, founded as a safe haven for Jews irrespective of creed, sect or political belief, sided against its own ambassador with authoritarian Hungarian President Victor Orban, a proponent of Christianity rather than multi-culturalism as the glue of European society, in denouncing billionaire left-wing philanthropist George Soros, a survivor of the Holocaust. In doing so, Israel, founded on the belief that Jews needed a state to shield themselves against discrimination and persecution rooted in anti-Semitic prejudice and racism that has been endemic in Christian culture, sided not only with a Christian nationalist leader in Hungary but with a global right-wing trend that sees Soros as the mastermind of a globalist movement, determined to subvert the established order and dilute the white, Christian nature of societies through immigration. Israel’s acknowledgement of the redefinition of its raison d’etre came in response to a Facebook posting by Yossi Amrani, the Jewish state’s representative in Hungary. Responding to anti-immigration billboards depicting a smiling Soros with the slogan, ‘Let's not let Soros have the last laugh,’ Amrani, backed by Hungarian Jewish leaders, warned that they evoked "sad memories, but also sow hatred and fear." Israel’s foreign ministry, days before a visit to Hungary by prime minister Benyamin Netanyahu, rather than taking a firm stand on rising anti-Semitism, effectively defined the Jewish state’s interest as joining Orban in denouncing a Jew. As a result, Israel, despite seeing itself as the fulfilment of the Biblical prophecies of the Ingathering of the Exiles and the protector of Jewish rights, opted for denouncing a Jew together with a leader whose policies prompted the European Parliament to pursue unprecedented disciplinary action against Hungary over alleged breaches of the European Union's core values, including minority rights. “In no way was the (ambassador’s) statement meant to delegitimise criticism of George Soros, who continuously undermines Israel’s democratically elected governments by funding organizations that defame the Jewish state and seek to deny it the right to defend itself,” the ministry said. The implicit message, like Israel’s decision to bar entry to its Jewish critics despite its law of return that grants anyone who is Jewish a right to citizenship, was that Israel rather than being the potential home of all Jews was a home only to those who support the government’s policies. Netanyahu’s alignment of Israel with right-wing nationalist and populist forces like his support for ultra-orthodox Jewish groups that deny equal rights for less stringent religious trends in Judaism on issues such as marriage, divorce, conversion and prayer at Jerusalem’s Western Wall, are likely to drive a wedge between the Jewish state and world Jewry, particularly in the United States. The wedge, that puts Israel at odds with the Jewish Diaspora, could be deepened by this week’s Democratic Party success in regaining a majority in the US House of Representatives. Jews historically tend to vote Democratic in the US, a stark contrast with Netanyahu’s growing alliance with right-wing evangelists who support Israel because they believe the Messiah will only return to a Holy Land controlled by Jews. Many evangelists, however, also believe that Jews will not be saved on the Day of Judgement without first converting to Christianity. Israel’s divisive approach to World Jewry is not without its supporters in the Jewish Diaspora. Anti-Muslim and anti-migration sentiments have prompted some Jews to form their own group within Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) political party. The notion that bigotry and prejudice are the best defences against rising anti-Semitism has meant that AfD Jews have little compunction about joining a party whose members favour abandoning Germany’s culture of remembrance and atonement for its Nazi past. One AfD leader, Alexander Gauland, described Nazism as a “speck of bird poop in more than 1,000 years of successful German history.” To be fair, the issue of rising prejudice and bigotry is not the exclusive perch of right-wing nationalist and populists. Britain’s Labour Party, traditionally a home for Jewish voters and activists, has been plagued by charges of anti-Semitism and reluctance to put its own house in order. Moreover, the emergence of strange bedfellows in a world in which ideological affinity replaces defence of a community’s minority rights is not uniquely Israeli or Jewish. Nahdlatul Ulama, the world’s largest Islamic movements with some 94 million members in Indonesia, in a bid to reform Islam and counter all political expressions of the faith, risks being tainted by its potential tactical association with Islamophobes and Christian fundamentalists who would project their alliance as Muslim justification of their perception of the evils of Islam. Nahdlatul Ulama is not alone in the Muslim world’s opportunistic engagement with the Christian right. Saudi rulers, who long aligned themselves with a supremacist, intolerant interpretation of Islam that viewed Christians as swine and Jews as apes have discovered that they share with evangelists and fundamentalist Christians, a significant voting bloc in the United States and part of President Donald Trump’s support base, conservative family values as well as political interests. In a first, Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, last week met with a delegation of US evangelists that included Reverend Johnnie Moore, Israel-based evangelical political strategist-turned-novelist Joel Rosenberg, former congresswoman Michele Bachmann; and prominent religious broadcasters. The jury is out on whether the fallout of the rise of nationalism, populism and extremism heralds a new world in which bigotry and prejudice are legitimised as a defence strategy against discrimination, racism and persecution and an antidote to radicalism – a world that would likely prove to be far more divided and polarised and likely increasingly unsafe for minorities on the receiving end. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Ideology trumps defence of ethnic, religious and minority rights

Asia Bibi, a Christian woman charged under Blasphemy law in Pakistan was acquitted by the Pak Supreme Court today.

Asia was the first woman to be sentenced to death under Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws. Her case had drawn much global attention and condemnation.

She was charged for Blasphemy over an incident that took place in 2009.

While working in a field in her village Asia entered into a conflict with a neighbour over drinking water from a common glass.

According to reports, the neighbour who had been at loggerheads with Asia due to some property damage, fought with her after she drank the water in a common glass which was kept near the well.

The popular belief of the region restricts christians from drinking water from the same utensil as "they are&nbsp;considered unclean".

The conflict between Asia and the neighbour escalated after other villagers joined the fight.

Asia recalls that she responded to the people who were making derogatory comments on her religion.

She said, "I believe in my religion and in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the sins of mankind. What did your Prophet Mohammed ever do to save mankind?"

Asia was also beaten by a mob which attacked her in her house. She was later rescued by the police and was arrested after an investigation.&nbsp;

The police arrested her under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code after they launched an investigation over her remarks.

While Asia kept denying the charges claiming that she was accused by the neighbour to "settle old score", the workers complained to the cleric that Asia insulted Muhammed.&nbsp;

Asia Bibi was the only christian in the village. Even before the incident, she was repeatedly asked by fellow workers to convert to Islam, she said.

Asia remained in the prison for one year before being formally charged under the law.

She was sentenced to death by hanging in 2010 by a judge at the Sheikhupura court in Punjab. A fine of the equivalent of $1,100 was also imposed on her.

Asiya Bibi was put in solitary confinement in an 8-by-10 foot cell without windows at the Lahore prison.

To save Asia from any potential attack in the jail, the prison superintendent had kept her away from other inmates. She was given raw material to cook her own food out of the fear of being poisoned.&nbsp;

In December 2010, a month after her conviction, a Muslim cleric had announced a 500,000 Pakistani rupee award to anyone who would kill her.

Meanwhile her family had also received consistent threats from the locals, due to which they were forced to go into hiding. The mullas had also threatened that they would kill her if she was released from the jail.

The governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer and Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti who had extended support to Asia were killed. 
While Taseer was assassinated on January 4, 2011 because of his defence to Asia and opposition to the blasphemy law, Bhatti was shot dead by gunmen &nbsp;on March 2, 2011.

November 2010: Asia was sentenced to death under the blasphemy law

October 16, 2014: Lahore High Court dismissed Asia's appeal and upheld her death sentence.

October 20, 2014: &nbsp;Husband appealed to Pakistan's President for clemency.

October 24, 2014: Lawyer appealed to the Supreme Court.

July 22, 2015: Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended Bibi's death sentence for the duration of the appeals process.

November 2015: Bibi's lead attorney, Naeem Shakir, announced that, after two postponements in 2015, the Lahore High Court would hear an appeal in Bibi's case on 26 March 2016.

October 13, 2016: On the day of the hearing, when it was the turn of the case "Asia Bibi against the state", one of the three members of the bench of judges of that section&nbsp;refused to be part of the bench. His refusal had led to the postponement of the case for an undetermined date.&nbsp;The Judge later resigned in a handwritten letter addressed to the President of Pakistan.

26 April 2017: Chief Justice of Pakistan declined a request for the early hearing of the case of Asia Bibi in the first week of June made by her lawyer.

October 8, 2018: Three judge bench reserved its judgement on the final legal appeal.

October 31 2018: Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges after accepting her 2015 appeal against her sentence. 
&nbsp;

Asia Bibi, a Christian woman charged under Blasphemy law in Pakistan was acquitted by the Pak Supreme Court today. Asia was the first woman to be sentenced to death under Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws.

Asia Bibi, a Christian woman charged under Blasphemy law in Pakistan was acquitted by the Pak Supreme Court today. Asia was the first woman to be sentenced to death under Pakistan's draconian blasphemy laws. Her case had drawn much global attention and condemnation. She was charged for Blasphemy over an incident that took place in 2009. While working in a field in her village Asia entered into a conflict with a neighbour over drinking water from a common glass. According to reports, the neighbour who had been at loggerheads with Asia due to some property damage, fought with her after she drank the water in a common glass which was kept near the well. The popular belief of the region restricts christians from drinking water from the same utensil as "they are considered unclean". The conflict between Asia and the neighbour escalated after other villagers joined the fight. Asia recalls that she responded to the people who were making derogatory comments on her religion. She said, "I believe in my religion and in Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the sins of mankind. What did your Prophet Mohammed ever do to save mankind?" Asia was also beaten by a mob which attacked her in her house. She was later rescued by the police and was arrested after an investigation. The police arrested her under Section 295 C of the Pakistan Penal Code after they launched an investigation over her remarks. While Asia kept denying the charges claiming that she was accused by the neighbour to "settle old score", the workers complained to the cleric that Asia insulted Muhammed. Asia Bibi was the only christian in the village. Even before the incident, she was repeatedly asked by fellow workers to convert to Islam, she said. Asia remained in the prison for one year before being formally charged under the law. She was sentenced to death by hanging in 2010 by a judge at the Sheikhupura court in Punjab. A fine of the equivalent of $1,100 was also imposed on her. Asiya Bibi was put in solitary confinement in an 8-by-10 foot cell without windows at the Lahore prison. To save Asia from any potential attack in the jail, the prison superintendent had kept her away from other inmates. She was given raw material to cook her own food out of the fear of being poisoned. In December 2010, a month after her conviction, a Muslim cleric had announced a 500,000 Pakistani rupee award to anyone who would kill her. Meanwhile her family had also received consistent threats from the locals, due to which they were forced to go into hiding. The mullas had also threatened that they would kill her if she was released from the jail. The governor of Punjab Salmaan Taseer and Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti who had extended support to Asia were killed. While Taseer was assassinated on January 4, 2011 because of his defence to Asia and opposition to the blasphemy law, Bhatti was shot dead by gunmen on March 2, 2011. November 2010: Asia was sentenced to death under the blasphemy law October 16, 2014: Lahore High Court dismissed Asia's appeal and upheld her death sentence. October 20, 2014: Husband appealed to Pakistan's President for clemency. October 24, 2014: Lawyer appealed to the Supreme Court. July 22, 2015: Supreme Court of Pakistan suspended Bibi's death sentence for the duration of the appeals process. November 2015: Bibi's lead attorney, Naeem Shakir, announced that, after two postponements in 2015, the Lahore High Court would hear an appeal in Bibi's case on 26 March 2016. October 13, 2016: On the day of the hearing, when it was the turn of the case "Asia Bibi against the state", one of the three members of the bench of judges of that section refused to be part of the bench. His refusal had led to the postponement of the case for an undetermined date. The Judge later resigned in a handwritten letter addressed to the President of Pakistan. 26 April 2017: Chief Justice of Pakistan declined a request for the early hearing of the case of Asia Bibi in the first week of June made by her lawyer. October 8, 2018: Three judge bench reserved its judgement on the final legal appeal. October 31 2018: Supreme Court acquitted Asia Bibi of blasphemy charges after accepting her 2015 appeal against her sentence.

Timeline: How was Asia Bibi convicted in Blasphemy case

This is a tough time for men and women, at least those whose message is one of peace, tolerance, mutual respect, equality and inter-faith dialogue.

Underlying the rise of populism, nationalism, protectionism, fear of the other, anti-migrant and anti-foreigner sentiment, and hate speech is an erosion of the norms of debate. Articulation of hate speech has become permissible, if not fashionable. Often blunt and crude language employed by leaders, politicians and some people of the cloth help shape an environment in which civility has been lost.

Intolerant, racist and supremacist have risen in significance even in democratic societies that project themselves as open, tolerant guarantors of equal rights irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, religion, colour or sexuality. Suppressing those voices through laws and bans drives hate speech and racism underground, it doesn’t erase or eradicate it. Countering it with a message of tolerance and mutual respect won’t erase it either but can help shape an environment in which those principles become dominant again.

Let’s face it, prejudice is a fact of life. Its inbred in whatever culture each of us adheres to and whatever education at home and in schools that we have enjoyed, irrespective of how conservative or liberal our family and societal backgrounds are. We all were raised on implicit or more explicit notions that our culture is best or by implication other cultures are not as good.

In other words, prejudice is not the issue, its how we deal with it, how we manage it. The problem arises when we lose our sense of relativity when we adopt an absolutist approach, the high way or no way. It arises when pluralism is thrown out the window and we abandon the notion that our world is populated by a multitude of equally valid faiths, worldviews and belief systems.

To quote Mahatma Gandhi, a deeply religious Hindu, who said in 1942: “I believe with my soul that the God of the Qur’an is also the God of Gita and that we are all, no matter by what name designated, children of the same God. My whole soul rebels against the idea that Hinduism and Islam represent two antagonistic cultures… To ascent to such a doctrine is for me a denial of God.”

In the battles in the late 1940s and 1950s over a proposed national ban in India on the slaughter of cows, Gandhi declared himself a worshipper of cows whom he regarded with the same veneration as he viewed his mother. Yet, Gandhi, went on to say that “The Hindu religion prohibits cow slaughter for the Hindus, not for the world. The religious prohibition comes from within. Any imposition from without means compulsion. Such compulsion is repugnant to religion.”

On a visit in 1942 to a German camp populated by Indian prisoners of war captured from the British during fighting in North Africa, Subhas Chandra Bose, a deeply religious leader of the Indian independence movement, reportedly warned inmates that “If you use religion to unite yourself today, you leave the door open for someone to divide you later using the same sentiments.”

Recent history validates Bose’s warning, not only in India and Pakistan, but across the globe expressed in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Shiism, just to name a few, as well as in conflicts, wars and brutal repression in places like Syria, Yemen and the north-western Chinese province of Xinjiang.

Many of you represent faiths with multiple sects, legal schools and interpretations – proof that your belief system in the narrow context of that system is open to multiple interpretations. Some of those interpretations may be intolerant, anti-pluralistic, supremacist. They too are a fact of life, like it or not. Countering them depends on the social environment one creates a sphere within which men and women of the cloth have an important role to play as well. It is also a function of the social and economic policies implemented by governments.

Indeed, the key is not suppression, what is suppressed doesn’t go away, at best it goes into hibernation, only to re-emerge at some point in the future. The key is containment, communities and societies that make discriminatory, racist, supremacist expressions socially taboo. That key is not enforced by force of law but by social custom and an environment in which those expressions are continuously challenged in public debate, social settings and individual encounters. I am not talking about political correctness that stifles debate.

Leaving aside those whose beliefs are absolute and intolerant of any other view, a majority of people gravitate towards the middle. It’s what some call moral shock or what former trader Nassim Nicholas Taleb dubbed black swans coupled with economic, social and societal uncertainty and political manipulation that drives people towards more literal, absolutist, intolerant beliefs.

It is those circumstances in which normally tolerant communities and societies become more amenable to those beliefs. It’s what allows men like Slobodan Milosevic or Bashar al-Assad to turn societies where inter-communal relations and inter-marriage were the norms into wastelands in which one community tries to exterminate the other.

Think of Bosnia Herzegovina in the 1990s that seemingly transformed overnight from a beacon of harmony into a hell or the tensions in multiple countries ranging from Bahrain to Nigeria or the tenth parallel that journalist Elizabeth Rush aptly described as the fault line cutting across Africa and Asia between more strident forms of Islam and Christianity.

The last two decades have witnessed a renewed hardening of fault lines, not just ones between strands of Islam and Christianity, but across the board. This latest round started in 2001 with the moral shock of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington and subsequent attacks across Europe as well as in Asia and Africa that continue until today. 9/11 was the death knell of multi-culturalism and the cradle of the latest wave of Islamophobia and rising anti-Semitism.

The economic financial crisis of 2008/2009 with its decimating effect on the lower and middle classes, the flourishing of jihadism, the impact of heinous attacks close to home and the fear, a human being’s most irrational emotion, that generated the breeding ground for populism, nationalism, protectionism and the return to primordial, absolutist beliefs propagated by multiple sources, including men and women of the cloth.

To be sure, the groundwork for this pre-date 9/11, fuelled by some strands of Christianity, massive Saudi funding across the globe of ultra-conservative strains of Islam, and the use of religious intolerance by leaders and governments because it served a political purpose.

Pakistan illustrates what this can produce. The tolerant and live-let-live types live in a bubble, primarily in Pakistan’s three foremost cities, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The gravity of society has shifted toward intolerance, anti-pluralism and supremacism. Ultra-conservatism has been woven into the texture of segments of society and the culture of some institutions of the state. It is a world in which absolute truth rules supreme, discrimination based on an absolute truth is anchored into law, competence is determined not exclusively on the basis of merit but on what faith one adheres to, democratic freedoms are curtailed. Mob lynching becomes acceptable, violence against minorities the norm, and anti-blasphemy the tool.

It’s a trend that is not unique to Pakistan and not unique to the Muslim world. It is a trend that is nurtured by the rise of populism, nationalism, authoritarianism and autocracy visible across Western societies, the Muslim world and Israel, in other words, irrespective of cultural-religious roots.

In most, if not all of these countries, significant segments of the population have no real stake in society. Intolerance, anti-pluralism, racism and supremacism fuel the perception of disenfranchisement and marginalization that often produces a sense of not having anything to lose. It is some combination of religious ultra-conservatism, exclusivist ethnic and nationalist sentiment, and lack of a stake that creates breeding grounds for militancy and extremism.

While Singapore regulates hate speech or expressions it believes would undermine harmony, it has been successful in ensuring that all segments of the population have a stake in society – perhaps the most important factor in combatting discrimination, racism and supremacism as well as militancy and extremism.

Singapore demonstrates messages of tolerance and inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony can and will be heard in a political and social environment that fosters mutual respect and dialogue.

There is, however, one caveat. Peace and harmony in society require peace and harmony at home. The divisions and animosity between different religions and ethnicities at large are reflected in divisions and animosity within faith groups.

Tolerance, mutual respect and dialogue start in one’s own community and its message is as credible as one practices it without exception. That probably requires a redefinition of the concept of absolute truth. That’s a tough order, but no one claims that ensuring that a peaceful and harmonious existence and future would be easy. It also is a litmus test of one’s sincerity. 
 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

This is a tough time for men and women, at least those whose message is one of peace, tolerance, mutual respect, equality and inter-faith dialogue. Underlying the rise of populism, nationalism, protectionism, fear of the other, anti-migrant and anti-foreigner sentiment, and hate speech is an erosion of the norms of debate.

This is a tough time for men and women, at least those whose message is one of peace, tolerance, mutual respect, equality and inter-faith dialogue. Underlying the rise of populism, nationalism, protectionism, fear of the other, anti-migrant and anti-foreigner sentiment, and hate speech is an erosion of the norms of debate. Articulation of hate speech has become permissible, if not fashionable. Often blunt and crude language employed by leaders, politicians and some people of the cloth help shape an environment in which civility has been lost. Intolerant, racist and supremacist have risen in significance even in democratic societies that project themselves as open, tolerant guarantors of equal rights irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, religion, colour or sexuality. Suppressing those voices through laws and bans drives hate speech and racism underground, it doesn’t erase or eradicate it. Countering it with a message of tolerance and mutual respect won’t erase it either but can help shape an environment in which those principles become dominant again. Let’s face it, prejudice is a fact of life. Its inbred in whatever culture each of us adheres to and whatever education at home and in schools that we have enjoyed, irrespective of how conservative or liberal our family and societal backgrounds are. We all were raised on implicit or more explicit notions that our culture is best or by implication other cultures are not as good. In other words, prejudice is not the issue, its how we deal with it, how we manage it. The problem arises when we lose our sense of relativity when we adopt an absolutist approach, the high way or no way. It arises when pluralism is thrown out the window and we abandon the notion that our world is populated by a multitude of equally valid faiths, worldviews and belief systems. To quote Mahatma Gandhi, a deeply religious Hindu, who said in 1942: “I believe with my soul that the God of the Qur’an is also the God of Gita and that we are all, no matter by what name designated, children of the same God. My whole soul rebels against the idea that Hinduism and Islam represent two antagonistic cultures… To ascent to such a doctrine is for me a denial of God.” In the battles in the late 1940s and 1950s over a proposed national ban in India on the slaughter of cows, Gandhi declared himself a worshipper of cows whom he regarded with the same veneration as he viewed his mother. Yet, Gandhi, went on to say that “The Hindu religion prohibits cow slaughter for the Hindus, not for the world. The religious prohibition comes from within. Any imposition from without means compulsion. Such compulsion is repugnant to religion.” On a visit in 1942 to a German camp populated by Indian prisoners of war captured from the British during fighting in North Africa, Subhas Chandra Bose, a deeply religious leader of the Indian independence movement, reportedly warned inmates that “If you use religion to unite yourself today, you leave the door open for someone to divide you later using the same sentiments.” Recent history validates Bose’s warning, not only in India and Pakistan, but across the globe expressed in Islamophobia, anti-Semitism, and anti-Shiism, just to name a few, as well as in conflicts, wars and brutal repression in places like Syria, Yemen and the north-western Chinese province of Xinjiang. Many of you represent faiths with multiple sects, legal schools and interpretations – proof that your belief system in the narrow context of that system is open to multiple interpretations. Some of those interpretations may be intolerant, anti-pluralistic, supremacist. They too are a fact of life, like it or not. Countering them depends on the social environment one creates a sphere within which men and women of the cloth have an important role to play as well. It is also a function of the social and economic policies implemented by governments. Indeed, the key is not suppression, what is suppressed doesn’t go away, at best it goes into hibernation, only to re-emerge at some point in the future. The key is containment, communities and societies that make discriminatory, racist, supremacist expressions socially taboo. That key is not enforced by force of law but by social custom and an environment in which those expressions are continuously challenged in public debate, social settings and individual encounters. I am not talking about political correctness that stifles debate. Leaving aside those whose beliefs are absolute and intolerant of any other view, a majority of people gravitate towards the middle. It’s what some call moral shock or what former trader Nassim Nicholas Taleb dubbed black swans coupled with economic, social and societal uncertainty and political manipulation that drives people towards more literal, absolutist, intolerant beliefs. It is those circumstances in which normally tolerant communities and societies become more amenable to those beliefs. It’s what allows men like Slobodan Milosevic or Bashar al-Assad to turn societies where inter-communal relations and inter-marriage were the norms into wastelands in which one community tries to exterminate the other. Think of Bosnia Herzegovina in the 1990s that seemingly transformed overnight from a beacon of harmony into a hell or the tensions in multiple countries ranging from Bahrain to Nigeria or the tenth parallel that journalist Elizabeth Rush aptly described as the fault line cutting across Africa and Asia between more strident forms of Islam and Christianity. The last two decades have witnessed a renewed hardening of fault lines, not just ones between strands of Islam and Christianity, but across the board. This latest round started in 2001 with the moral shock of the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington and subsequent attacks across Europe as well as in Asia and Africa that continue until today. 9/11 was the death knell of multi-culturalism and the cradle of the latest wave of Islamophobia and rising anti-Semitism. The economic financial crisis of 2008/2009 with its decimating effect on the lower and middle classes, the flourishing of jihadism, the impact of heinous attacks close to home and the fear, a human being’s most irrational emotion, that generated the breeding ground for populism, nationalism, protectionism and the return to primordial, absolutist beliefs propagated by multiple sources, including men and women of the cloth. To be sure, the groundwork for this pre-date 9/11, fuelled by some strands of Christianity, massive Saudi funding across the globe of ultra-conservative strains of Islam, and the use of religious intolerance by leaders and governments because it served a political purpose. Pakistan illustrates what this can produce. The tolerant and live-let-live types live in a bubble, primarily in Pakistan’s three foremost cities, Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad. The gravity of society has shifted toward intolerance, anti-pluralism and supremacism. Ultra-conservatism has been woven into the texture of segments of society and the culture of some institutions of the state. It is a world in which absolute truth rules supreme, discrimination based on an absolute truth is anchored into law, competence is determined not exclusively on the basis of merit but on what faith one adheres to, democratic freedoms are curtailed. Mob lynching becomes acceptable, violence against minorities the norm, and anti-blasphemy the tool. It’s a trend that is not unique to Pakistan and not unique to the Muslim world. It is a trend that is nurtured by the rise of populism, nationalism, authoritarianism and autocracy visible across Western societies, the Muslim world and Israel, in other words, irrespective of cultural-religious roots. In most, if not all of these countries, significant segments of the population have no real stake in society. Intolerance, anti-pluralism, racism and supremacism fuel the perception of disenfranchisement and marginalization that often produces a sense of not having anything to lose. It is some combination of religious ultra-conservatism, exclusivist ethnic and nationalist sentiment, and lack of a stake that creates breeding grounds for militancy and extremism. While Singapore regulates hate speech or expressions it believes would undermine harmony, it has been successful in ensuring that all segments of the population have a stake in society – perhaps the most important factor in combatting discrimination, racism and supremacism as well as militancy and extremism. Singapore demonstrates messages of tolerance and inter-ethnic and inter-faith harmony can and will be heard in a political and social environment that fosters mutual respect and dialogue. There is, however, one caveat. Peace and harmony in society require peace and harmony at home. The divisions and animosity between different religions and ethnicities at large are reflected in divisions and animosity within faith groups. Tolerance, mutual respect and dialogue start in one’s own community and its message is as credible as one practices it without exception. That probably requires a redefinition of the concept of absolute truth. That’s a tough order, but no one claims that ensuring that a peaceful and harmonious existence and future would be easy. It also is a litmus test of one’s sincerity. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Achieving religious harmony in a world of fear and populism

Chess star Soumya Swaminathan denied being part of the Asian Team Chess Championship, to be held in Hamadan, Iran, from July 26 to August 4, because of the compulsory-headscarf rule in the country which she said violated her personal rights.

She took to her Facebook page to say, "I find the Iranian law of compulsory Headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic Human Rights including my right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way for me to protect my rights is not to go to Iran."

She further said that the religious dress codes should not be imposed on players.

"I understand the organisers expecting us to wear our National Team Dress or Formals or Sporting attire for our games during official championships, but surely there is no place for an enforceable religious dress code in Sports," she added.

Read in detail what Soumya Swaminathan wrote on her Facebook page about her decision.

"I am very sorry to state that I have asked to be excused from the Indian Women's team for the forthcoming Asian Nations Cup ( Asian Team ) Chess Championship 2018, to be held at Iran from 26 July - 4 Aug 2018, as I do not wish to be forced to wear a Headscarf or Burkha. I find the Iranian law of compulsory Headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic Human Rights including my right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way for me to protect my rights is not to go to Iran.

I am very disappointed to see that player's rights and welfare are given such less importance while allotting and/or organising official championships. I understand the organisers expecting us to wear our National Team Dress or Formals or Sporting attire for our games during official championships, but surely there is no place for an enforceable religious dress code in Sports.

It is a huge honour for me to represent India everytime I am selected in the National Team and I deeply regret that I will be unable to participate in such an important championship. While we sportspersons are willing to make several adjustments for the sake of our sport, always giving it top priority in our life, some things simply cannot be compromised."

This is not the first time an athlete pulled out of an event over the same issue. In 2016, top Indian shooter Heena Sidhu had withdrawn from the Asian Airgun meet in Iran citing the same reason.

She further said that the religious dress codes should not be imposed on players

Chess star Soumya Swaminathan denied being part of the Asian Team Chess Championship, to be held in Hamadan, Iran, from July 26 to August 4, because of the compulsory-headscarf rule in the country which she said violated her personal rights. She took to her Facebook page to say, "I find the Iranian law of compulsory Headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic Human Rights including my right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way for me to protect my rights is not to go to Iran." She further said that the religious dress codes should not be imposed on players. "I understand the organisers expecting us to wear our National Team Dress or Formals or Sporting attire for our games during official championships, but surely there is no place for an enforceable religious dress code in Sports," she added. Read in detail what Soumya Swaminathan wrote on her Facebook page about her decision. "I am very sorry to state that I have asked to be excused from the Indian Women's team for the forthcoming Asian Nations Cup ( Asian Team ) Chess Championship 2018, to be held at Iran from 26 July - 4 Aug 2018, as I do not wish to be forced to wear a Headscarf or Burkha. I find the Iranian law of compulsory Headscarf to be in direct violation of my basic Human Rights including my right to freedom of expression, and right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It seems that under the present circumstances, the only way for me to protect my rights is not to go to Iran. I am very disappointed to see that player's rights and welfare are given such less importance while allotting and/or organising official championships. I understand the organisers expecting us to wear our National Team Dress or Formals or Sporting attire for our games during official championships, but surely there is no place for an enforceable religious dress code in Sports. It is a huge honour for me to represent India everytime I am selected in the National Team and I deeply regret that I will be unable to participate in such an important championship. While we sportspersons are willing to make several adjustments for the sake of our sport, always giving it top priority in our life, some things simply cannot be compromised." This is not the first time an athlete pulled out of an event over the same issue. In 2016, top Indian shooter Heena Sidhu had withdrawn from the Asian Airgun meet in Iran citing the same reason.

Indian chess star Soumya says no to headscarf, pulls out of Iran tournament

A controversy in Algeria over the growing popularity of Saudi-inspired Salafi scholars spotlights the risk governments run in a region in which they strive to control religion in a bid to counter militant strands of Islam, often by touting apolitical, ultra-conservative trends. &nbspThese efforts are proving difficult to contain within the limits of the government’s agenda.

The controversy over Saudi support of Salafi scholars highlights how state control, frequently exercised through degrees of micro-management of weekly Friday prayer sermons, and/or putting clerics on the government payroll as well as supervision of mosques and school textbooks, often backfires. &nbspFor one, the credibility of government-sponsored Islamic scholars is undermined as they become increasingly viewed as functionaries and parrots of regimes.

It also thrusts into the limelight the slippery slope on which governments play politics with conservative and ultra-conservative religion for opportunistic reasons or as in the case of Turkey in a bid to establish state-controlled Turkish Islam as a global force.

Ultra-conservatism’s increasing attractiveness is magnified by the inability of governments to comprehensively police alternative expressions of religion on the Internet and social media as well as halt the popping up of unlicensed mosques and informal study groups.

As a result, Saudi-inspired ultra-conservative, as well as militant strands of Islam, emerge as the only alternative release valve, particularly in countries that restrict freedom of expression, the media, and religion and have failed in their delivery of public goods and services

“Whatever the state does to control the religious realm, it cannot oblige or guarantee that people will rely on official bodies and individuals for their religious guidance. In fact, Algerian youths, in particular, are disillusioned and have lost confidence in their religious institutions. As such, they may be attracted to other religious voices, especially those offering ‘grab and go’ solutions to complex issues or a Manichean view of the world,” said Algeria scholar Dalia Ghanem-Yazbeck.

The controversy in Algeria further raises questions about definitions of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s declared effort to return the kingdom to what he termed ‘moderate Islam’ given that Saudi Arabia played a key role in globally promoting Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism for almost half a century.

In Saudi Arabia, the jury is still out on Prince Mohammed’s approach to moderation. In an ultra-conservative country in which religious leaders were not only popular but government employees who shared power with the ruling Al Saud family, Prince Mohammed has whipped the religious establishment into subservience and kowtowing to his reforms with little indication that they have had a true change of heart.

Algeria has long seen Saudi-inspired quietist strands of Salafism that preach unreserved obedience to a Muslim ruler as a way of countering expressions of popular discontent and more militant strands of Islam.

“The onset of the 2011 Arab uprisings only increased the utility of quietist Salafists to the state. All the main quietist figures issued calls for Algerians to resist the wave of political contestation rocking the Arab world… This drove a wedge between rulers and ruled, exacerbating social divisions, which would inevitably lead to a rise in insecurity and worsening corruption,” said international relations scholar Anouar Boukhars.

A recent study showed that many Algerians were turning on social media to Saudi and Egyptian rather than Algerian religious scholars.

Some Saudi scholars like Sheikh Mohamed al-Arefe, a controversial ultra-conservative, known for his misogynist and anti-Shiite tirades, who ranks among the top 100 global and top 10 Arab social media personalities with 21.6 million followers on Twitter and 24.3 million on Facebook boast a larger following in Algeria than in the kingdom itself.

The study concluded that Mr. Al-Arefe had two million Algerian followers as opposed to 1.3 million Saudis.

Algerian media reports, echoing secular concerns, detailed earlier this year Saudi propagation of a quietist, apolitical yet supremacist and anti-pluralistic form of Islam in the North African country. The media published a letter by a prominent Saudi scholar that appointed three ultra-conservative Algerian clerics as representatives of Salafism.

“While Saudi Arabia tries to promote the image of a country that is ridding itself of its fanatics, it sends to other countries the most radical of its doctrines,” asserted independent Algerian newspaper El Watan.

El Watan and other media reproduced a letter written by Saudi Sheikh Hadi Ben Ali Al-Madkhali, a scion of Sheikh Rabia Al-Madkhali, the intellectual father of what French Islam scholar Stephane Lacroix terms a loyalist strand of Salafism that projects the kingdom as the ideal place for those who seek a pure Islam that has not been compromised by non-Muslim cultural practices and secularism.

The letter appoints three prominent Algerian scholars, including Mohamed Ali Ferkous, widely viewed as the spiritual guide of Algerian Madkhalists, as Salafism’s representatives in Algeria.

“Madkhalism…(is) perhaps Saudi Arabia’s own Trojan Horse,” quipped North Africa scholar George Joffe. “State-approved imams in Algeria now find themselves under considerable pressure, in mosques that have been targeted, to adapt their teachings and doctrines to Salafi precept, even if this challenges the authority of the ministry of religious affairs,” Mr. Joffe added.

The mixed results of the Algerian government’s effort to control and use religion are replicated across the Muslim world.

Pakistan, a country in which ultra-conservatism and militancy has over decades been woven into the fabric of the state and society and that is struggling with political violence against the state as well as minorities, serves as an example of the risks involved in playing politics with religion and state support for non-pluralistic, intolerant and supremacist interpretations of Islam.

Attempting to rollback the fallout of such policies is proving to be a gargantuan task. The Pakistani government earlier this year launched a pilot project in Islamabad to regulate Friday prayer sermons. The problem is that it controls a mere 86 of the city’s 1,003 mosques.

Some critics warn that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be taking his country down a road like that of Pakistan. They compare the Turkish leader to former Pakistani ruler General Zia ul-Haq who in the 1980s accelerated Islamisation of Pakistani society.

Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States and director of South and Central Asia for the Washington-based Hudson Institute Husain Haqqani asserted that Mr. Erdogan was adopting the “Pakistani formula of mixing hard-line nationalism with religiosity” and pouring money into Islamic schools.

"Erdogan has taken the Pakistani formula of mixing hard-line nationalism with religiosity. Zia imposed Islamic laws by decree, amended the constitution, marginalised secular scholars and leaders, and created institutions for Islamisation that have outlasted him. Erdogan is trying to do the same in Turkey," Mr. Haqqani told journalist and columnist Eli Lake.

Mr. Lake argued that Turkey, despite having tacitly supported the Islamic State at one point during the Syrian civil war, Turkey had not yet “sunk” to Pakistan’s level of cooperation with Islamic militants in its dispute with India and manoeuvring in Afghanistan.

However, suggesting that Turkey risked becoming another Pakistan, Mr. Lake quoted former US ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman as saying: "Turkey is not Pakistan yet, but if it continues the trajectory that Erdogan has put it on, there is a prospect it could become like Pakistan.”

At the other extreme, Chinese authorities in the north-western province of Xinjiang, home to China’s Uyghur Muslim minority, were several months ago shutting down some 100 illegal, underground religious seminaries a month despite creating in the region the world’s most repressive surveillance state, according to a Chinese communist party official.

The crackdown involves the banning of religious practices and the teaching of the Uyghur language in schools and the detention of thousands in political re-education camps.

The controversy in Algeria, Mr. Erdogan’s embrace of Islam, Pakistan’s struggle to come to grips with the fallout of ultra-conservatism, China’s efforts to crackdown on religion, anti-government and anti-clergy protests in Iran earlier this year, and examples of societies elsewhere in Asia turning towards intolerance and conservatism as governments employ or repress religion for opportunistic political purposes, suggest that political leaders have learnt little, if anything.

Yet, the lesson is that government control and/or playing with religion seldom produces sustainable results. The lesson is also that repression, including restricting freedoms of expression, media and religion, aggravates problems and benefits ultra-conservatives and militants.

Finally, the lesson is that the solution likely lies in inclusive rather than exclusionary policies and transparent and accountable governments capable of delivering pubic goods and services that ensure that all segments of the population have a stake in society. That lesson is one that governments in Algeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and China seemingly prefer to overlook.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Algeria has long seen Saudi-inspired quietist strands of Salafism that preach unreserved obedience to a Muslim ruler as a way of countering expressions of popular discontent and more militant strands of Islam

A controversy in Algeria over the growing popularity of Saudi-inspired Salafi scholars spotlights the risk governments run in a region in which they strive to control religion in a bid to counter militant strands of Islam, often by touting apolitical, ultra-conservative trends. &nbspThese efforts are proving difficult to contain within the limits of the government’s agenda. The controversy over Saudi support of Salafi scholars highlights how state control, frequently exercised through degrees of micro-management of weekly Friday prayer sermons, and/or putting clerics on the government payroll as well as supervision of mosques and school textbooks, often backfires. &nbspFor one, the credibility of government-sponsored Islamic scholars is undermined as they become increasingly viewed as functionaries and parrots of regimes. It also thrusts into the limelight the slippery slope on which governments play politics with conservative and ultra-conservative religion for opportunistic reasons or as in the case of Turkey in a bid to establish state-controlled Turkish Islam as a global force. Ultra-conservatism’s increasing attractiveness is magnified by the inability of governments to comprehensively police alternative expressions of religion on the Internet and social media as well as halt the popping up of unlicensed mosques and informal study groups. As a result, Saudi-inspired ultra-conservative, as well as militant strands of Islam, emerge as the only alternative release valve, particularly in countries that restrict freedom of expression, the media, and religion and have failed in their delivery of public goods and services “Whatever the state does to control the religious realm, it cannot oblige or guarantee that people will rely on official bodies and individuals for their religious guidance. In fact, Algerian youths, in particular, are disillusioned and have lost confidence in their religious institutions. As such, they may be attracted to other religious voices, especially those offering ‘grab and go’ solutions to complex issues or a Manichean view of the world,” said Algeria scholar Dalia Ghanem-Yazbeck. The controversy in Algeria further raises questions about definitions of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s declared effort to return the kingdom to what he termed ‘moderate Islam’ given that Saudi Arabia played a key role in globally promoting Sunni Muslim ultra-conservatism for almost half a century. In Saudi Arabia, the jury is still out on Prince Mohammed’s approach to moderation. In an ultra-conservative country in which religious leaders were not only popular but government employees who shared power with the ruling Al Saud family, Prince Mohammed has whipped the religious establishment into subservience and kowtowing to his reforms with little indication that they have had a true change of heart. Algeria has long seen Saudi-inspired quietist strands of Salafism that preach unreserved obedience to a Muslim ruler as a way of countering expressions of popular discontent and more militant strands of Islam. “The onset of the 2011 Arab uprisings only increased the utility of quietist Salafists to the state. All the main quietist figures issued calls for Algerians to resist the wave of political contestation rocking the Arab world… This drove a wedge between rulers and ruled, exacerbating social divisions, which would inevitably lead to a rise in insecurity and worsening corruption,” said international relations scholar Anouar Boukhars. A recent study showed that many Algerians were turning on social media to Saudi and Egyptian rather than Algerian religious scholars. Some Saudi scholars like Sheikh Mohamed al-Arefe, a controversial ultra-conservative, known for his misogynist and anti-Shiite tirades, who ranks among the top 100 global and top 10 Arab social media personalities with 21.6 million followers on Twitter and 24.3 million on Facebook boast a larger following in Algeria than in the kingdom itself. The study concluded that Mr. Al-Arefe had two million Algerian followers as opposed to 1.3 million Saudis. Algerian media reports, echoing secular concerns, detailed earlier this year Saudi propagation of a quietist, apolitical yet supremacist and anti-pluralistic form of Islam in the North African country. The media published a letter by a prominent Saudi scholar that appointed three ultra-conservative Algerian clerics as representatives of Salafism. “While Saudi Arabia tries to promote the image of a country that is ridding itself of its fanatics, it sends to other countries the most radical of its doctrines,” asserted independent Algerian newspaper El Watan. El Watan and other media reproduced a letter written by Saudi Sheikh Hadi Ben Ali Al-Madkhali, a scion of Sheikh Rabia Al-Madkhali, the intellectual father of what French Islam scholar Stephane Lacroix terms a loyalist strand of Salafism that projects the kingdom as the ideal place for those who seek a pure Islam that has not been compromised by non-Muslim cultural practices and secularism. The letter appoints three prominent Algerian scholars, including Mohamed Ali Ferkous, widely viewed as the spiritual guide of Algerian Madkhalists, as Salafism’s representatives in Algeria. “Madkhalism…(is) perhaps Saudi Arabia’s own Trojan Horse,” quipped North Africa scholar George Joffe. “State-approved imams in Algeria now find themselves under considerable pressure, in mosques that have been targeted, to adapt their teachings and doctrines to Salafi precept, even if this challenges the authority of the ministry of religious affairs,” Mr. Joffe added. The mixed results of the Algerian government’s effort to control and use religion are replicated across the Muslim world. Pakistan, a country in which ultra-conservatism and militancy has over decades been woven into the fabric of the state and society and that is struggling with political violence against the state as well as minorities, serves as an example of the risks involved in playing politics with religion and state support for non-pluralistic, intolerant and supremacist interpretations of Islam. Attempting to rollback the fallout of such policies is proving to be a gargantuan task. The Pakistani government earlier this year launched a pilot project in Islamabad to regulate Friday prayer sermons. The problem is that it controls a mere 86 of the city’s 1,003 mosques. Some critics warn that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may be taking his country down a road like that of Pakistan. They compare the Turkish leader to former Pakistani ruler General Zia ul-Haq who in the 1980s accelerated Islamisation of Pakistani society. Former Pakistani ambassador to the United States and director of South and Central Asia for the Washington-based Hudson Institute Husain Haqqani asserted that Mr. Erdogan was adopting the “Pakistani formula of mixing hard-line nationalism with religiosity” and pouring money into Islamic schools. "Erdogan has taken the Pakistani formula of mixing hard-line nationalism with religiosity. Zia imposed Islamic laws by decree, amended the constitution, marginalised secular scholars and leaders, and created institutions for Islamisation that have outlasted him. Erdogan is trying to do the same in Turkey," Mr. Haqqani told journalist and columnist Eli Lake. Mr. Lake argued that Turkey, despite having tacitly supported the Islamic State at one point during the Syrian civil war, Turkey had not yet “sunk” to Pakistan’s level of cooperation with Islamic militants in its dispute with India and manoeuvring in Afghanistan. However, suggesting that Turkey risked becoming another Pakistan, Mr. Lake quoted former US ambassador to Turkey Eric Edelman as saying: "Turkey is not Pakistan yet, but if it continues the trajectory that Erdogan has put it on, there is a prospect it could become like Pakistan.” At the other extreme, Chinese authorities in the north-western province of Xinjiang, home to China’s Uyghur Muslim minority, were several months ago shutting down some 100 illegal, underground religious seminaries a month despite creating in the region the world’s most repressive surveillance state, according to a Chinese communist party official. The crackdown involves the banning of religious practices and the teaching of the Uyghur language in schools and the detention of thousands in political re-education camps. The controversy in Algeria, Mr. Erdogan’s embrace of Islam, Pakistan’s struggle to come to grips with the fallout of ultra-conservatism, China’s efforts to crackdown on religion, anti-government and anti-clergy protests in Iran earlier this year, and examples of societies elsewhere in Asia turning towards intolerance and conservatism as governments employ or repress religion for opportunistic political purposes, suggest that political leaders have learnt little, if anything. Yet, the lesson is that government control and/or playing with religion seldom produces sustainable results. The lesson is also that repression, including restricting freedoms of expression, media and religion, aggravates problems and benefits ultra-conservatives and militants. Finally, the lesson is that the solution likely lies in inclusive rather than exclusionary policies and transparent and accountable governments capable of delivering pubic goods and services that ensure that all segments of the population have a stake in society. That lesson is one that governments in Algeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and China seemingly prefer to overlook. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Algerian controversy over Salafism puts government control of religion on the spot

History is often used as a weapon in ideological struggles and identity-contestations. This is especially true in critical issues involving politics of religion. In agenda-driven histories deployed in public debates, the question of truth is set aside in favour of requirements of the time. In such debates, history is not so much about the evidence regarding what exactly happened in the past, but a matter of opinion or perspective. This is the case both in vernacular histories circulated in the public domain and in the assumptions of professional academic history. Even though the primary functions of both are different, they converge in terms of offering different vantage points in popular politics and struggles.

Within academia, religion and political culture profoundly impact the writing of history, leading to arguments, quarrels and formation of groups or schools of historiography. Thus, history of history-writing in India in the past couple of centuries has witnessed assumptions and formulations advanced from a number of standpoints. For instance, in colonial historiography &ndash; some strands of which have continued even till recent decades &ndash; colonialism was projected as something that was for the benefit of the colonised people; else, they would have remained savage barbarians with no or little sense of history. This false assertion was in conformity with the view that conquerors write history on the body of those they seek to dominate or decimate.

Countering the colonial position and showing that the conquered people eventually survive to tell their own story also, various strands of secular nationalist historiography have blamed the British colonial policies of 19th and the first half of 20th centuries for the mess the British left behind. Hindu-Muslim conflict, caste-system, economic degradation and a host of other issues are shown as constructed under the British rule. This set of scholarship also plays down the significance of religion in public life, even though it provides fodder for communal hatred and abuse. This is something which is aptly characterised by Professor Neeladri Bhattacharya &ndash; a much-respected JNU historian &ndash; as &lsquo;predicament of secular history&rsquo;.

On the other hand, Hindu communal propaganda as history continues to take ugly turns. Even serious historians belonging to the rightist camp &ndash; few as they are &ndash; come up with outlandish propositions. The best example that comes to mind is the projection of medieval India as a dark age in the right-wing historiography. It is asserted that medieval India was shrouded in darkness because there was no electricity in medieval India; this was because bigoted Muslim rulers followed Islam, which was against science!&nbsp;

By contrast, and yet supplementing communal Hindu narratives, is an equally bizarre Muslim separatist scholarship, which glorifies the Islamic past in the subcontinent. It traces separate Hindu-Muslim identities back to the Arab conquest of Sindh early in the 8th century. Also, important historical figures such as Sant Kabir and Mughal emperor Akbar are treated as agents of Hinduism who sought to destroy the cause of Islam in the medieval period.

Thus, what we are generally confronted with is political propaganda peddled as history. Does it mean history-writing cannot be free from ideological control? Happily, more empirically sensitive and theoretically sophisticated researchers in recent times have led to fresh thinking. This is sought to be blocked or resisted both by secularists and right-wing political propagandists, but scholarship has continued to grow in institutions both within India and the West &ndash; especially in the United States.

New research takes head-on communally sensitive issues such as temple desecration and the question of conversion of non-Muslims to Islam. The nature of the state is being discussed with reference to rulers&rsquo; concern for law and justice for all, peace and tranquillity, welfare mechanism as well as looking for India&rsquo;s own political theory based on secular principles, as in concerns of political theorists such as Rajeev Bhargava.

New studies on Akbar and Aurangzeb analyse broad-based political framework, theory and policies, which are contrasted with narrow and exclusive political strategies abusing religion for the purpose. Historical examples and philosophical insights on governing principles are used to assert that when religious beliefs run into problems with secular principles of the state in multi-cultural or multi-religious contexts, the secular principles and progressive laws must be privileged, as shown recently by an analytical philosopher, Akeel Bilgrami.

Further, questions are being raised about the need to reconsider the conventional periodisation of Indian history in ancient (Sanskrit), medieval (Persian) and modern (English) times (with the specific language of sources to be utilised). The older and simple formulations are being broken through richer source base, including judicious use of literature in the writing of history. For instance, Sufi premakhayan, or poetry of love, of which Malik Muhammad Jaisi&rsquo;s Padmavat is one of the best examples, are being studied by historians and literary scholars in recent years. However, they are perhaps still not in a position to handle the muddle created in the name of artistic freedom or in the service of communal politics &ndash; as we have witnessed recently.&nbsp;

In popular devotional fields, the shared and disputed terrains of Sufi-Bhakti complex reveal faultlines fraught with possibilities for shrewd cultural negotiations and brutal political violence. Two examples which may be given here are of Yogi Gorakhnath&rsquo;s favourable attitude towards Sufis, who were perceived as belonging to the caste of Allah, and of Kabir&rsquo;s aggressive support to the newly found fad for vegetarianism in medieval India.

In conclusion, history is a hot topic in popular politics of the public domain. Medieval Indian history is an especially contested field. Pressures from different kinds of ideological positions and politics of identities of various kinds together put serious constraints on the practice and writing of history. As indicated above, despite the challenges, scholarship has continued to grow. Current historiographical thrusts illustrate how a whole range of themes and issues are dealt with by professional historians from a variety of perspectives with reference to sources and evidence. Critical issues relating to the complex interactions between religion and political culture are no longer being swept under the carpet.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

India is needed to reconsider the conventional periodisation of its history in ancient, medieval and modern times.

History is often used as a weapon in ideological struggles and identity-contestations. This is especially true in critical issues involving politics of religion. In agenda-driven histories deployed in public debates, the question of truth is set aside in favour of requirements of the time. In such debates, history is not so much about the evidence regarding what exactly happened in the past, but a matter of opinion or perspective. This is the case both in vernacular histories circulated in the public domain and in the assumptions of professional academic history. Even though the primary functions of both are different, they converge in terms of offering different vantage points in popular politics and struggles. Within academia, religion and political culture profoundly impact the writing of history, leading to arguments, quarrels and formation of groups or schools of historiography. Thus, history of history-writing in India in the past couple of centuries has witnessed assumptions and formulations advanced from a number of standpoints. For instance, in colonial historiography – some strands of which have continued even till recent decades – colonialism was projected as something that was for the benefit of the colonised people; else, they would have remained savage barbarians with no or little sense of history. This false assertion was in conformity with the view that conquerors write history on the body of those they seek to dominate or decimate. Countering the colonial position and showing that the conquered people eventually survive to tell their own story also, various strands of secular nationalist historiography have blamed the British colonial policies of 19th and the first half of 20th centuries for the mess the British left behind. Hindu-Muslim conflict, caste-system, economic degradation and a host of other issues are shown as constructed under the British rule. This set of scholarship also plays down the significance of religion in public life, even though it provides fodder for communal hatred and abuse. This is something which is aptly characterised by Professor Neeladri Bhattacharya – a much-respected JNU historian – as ‘predicament of secular history’. On the other hand, Hindu communal propaganda as history continues to take ugly turns. Even serious historians belonging to the rightist camp – few as they are – come up with outlandish propositions. The best example that comes to mind is the projection of medieval India as a dark age in the right-wing historiography. It is asserted that medieval India was shrouded in darkness because there was no electricity in medieval India; this was because bigoted Muslim rulers followed Islam, which was against science! By contrast, and yet supplementing communal Hindu narratives, is an equally bizarre Muslim separatist scholarship, which glorifies the Islamic past in the subcontinent. It traces separate Hindu-Muslim identities back to the Arab conquest of Sindh early in the 8th century. Also, important historical figures such as Sant Kabir and Mughal emperor Akbar are treated as agents of Hinduism who sought to destroy the cause of Islam in the medieval period. Thus, what we are generally confronted with is political propaganda peddled as history. Does it mean history-writing cannot be free from ideological control? Happily, more empirically sensitive and theoretically sophisticated researchers in recent times have led to fresh thinking. This is sought to be blocked or resisted both by secularists and right-wing political propagandists, but scholarship has continued to grow in institutions both within India and the West – especially in the United States. New research takes head-on communally sensitive issues such as temple desecration and the question of conversion of non-Muslims to Islam. The nature of the state is being discussed with reference to rulers’ concern for law and justice for all, peace and tranquillity, welfare mechanism as well as looking for India’s own political theory based on secular principles, as in concerns of political theorists such as Rajeev Bhargava. New studies on Akbar and Aurangzeb analyse broad-based political framework, theory and policies, which are contrasted with narrow and exclusive political strategies abusing religion for the purpose. Historical examples and philosophical insights on governing principles are used to assert that when religious beliefs run into problems with secular principles of the state in multi-cultural or multi-religious contexts, the secular principles and progressive laws must be privileged, as shown recently by an analytical philosopher, Akeel Bilgrami. Further, questions are being raised about the need to reconsider the conventional periodisation of Indian history in ancient (Sanskrit), medieval (Persian) and modern (English) times (with the specific language of sources to be utilised). The older and simple formulations are being broken through richer source base, including judicious use of literature in the writing of history. For instance, Sufi premakhayan, or poetry of love, of which Malik Muhammad Jaisi’s Padmavat is one of the best examples, are being studied by historians and literary scholars in recent years. However, they are perhaps still not in a position to handle the muddle created in the name of artistic freedom or in the service of communal politics – as we have witnessed recently. In popular devotional fields, the shared and disputed terrains of Sufi-Bhakti complex reveal faultlines fraught with possibilities for shrewd cultural negotiations and brutal political violence. Two examples which may be given here are of Yogi Gorakhnath’s favourable attitude towards Sufis, who were perceived as belonging to the caste of Allah, and of Kabir’s aggressive support to the newly found fad for vegetarianism in medieval India. In conclusion, history is a hot topic in popular politics of the public domain. Medieval Indian history is an especially contested field. Pressures from different kinds of ideological positions and politics of identities of various kinds together put serious constraints on the practice and writing of history. As indicated above, despite the challenges, scholarship has continued to grow. Current historiographical thrusts illustrate how a whole range of themes and issues are dealt with by professional historians from a variety of perspectives with reference to sources and evidence. Critical issues relating to the complex interactions between religion and political culture are no longer being swept under the carpet. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Role history and religion play in modern Indian politics

Nagaland is an ideological frontier to the mainland cultural nationalism. The current mainstream nationalism has met its match in a highly evangelized society which today is interchangeable with the Naga identity. Elections which were supposed to rotate around the issue of Naga Accord today stands superseded by the narrative of cultural freedom, dietary habits and Naga way of life which is primarily Christian today.&nbsp;

Nagaland underwent the process of proselytisation under the British rule where American missionary Edwin W. Clark opened their first mission in Naga Hills near Ao Naga. Rest is history. It is an event in sub-continental history which will stay with the Union of India. Whether it was insularity of Hinduism at that point of time and absence of the dogma to convert or restriction of movement of Indian preachers in colonial India when Hinduism also acquired consciousness of number over caste, the demographic map of North East changed for good.

It is this restlessness of BJP and RSS on the issue of conversions which meets the settled reality of Nagaland wherein Naga identity stands coterminous with Christianity. This is also a case in Mizoram but in Kohima, it is married to the idea of Greater Nagaland or Nagalim. Previous elections moved from one issue to another but the question of Naga identity remained central to the political narrative. This time, with Nagaland Baptist Church Council issuing a statement, the game changed suddenly and unexpectedly. It set the cat amongst the pigeons.

Every political party had to recalibrate its position on issues ranging from faith to food. It is for this reason that BJP has gone to town on the issue of faith. BJP leaders declare in every meeting that Nagaland will be served best of Indian secularism. It is to rest the anxiety over the hard edge of cultural nationalism that has come to dominate Indian political landscape. It is an admission of the reality that what works in Uttar Pradesh will not work in Nagaland.&nbsp;

Nagaland, in fact, is the border where majoritarian nationalism has met its challenge from a small state. It stems from ruling party&rsquo;s desire to expand in areas which have been culturally different from heartland politics. This has happened because of mass media and Internet as distant &lsquo;realities&rsquo; acquire local political relevance. The elections also tell us that Church in North East has never been apolitical. The Baptist Church by writing the letter has officially acknowledged that it gives primacy to the Christian identity of people living in Nagaland than ethnic roots.

It is because of this debate that Nagaland is failing to discuss the real issue of massive corruption and organised pilferage of state subsidy by powerful politicians, bureaucrats and underground organisations. Beautiful houses are built alongside few of the worst maintained or not so their roads through the state. Nagaland is littered with expensive cars but it does not have industry to boost off. This happens for one simple reason and that being cash for votes. The cash distribution capacity represents the true strength of any candidate. For the fact that payment has become acceptable, the electorate loses its own moral power to question the politicians they elect as their representatives.

Lastly, Congress which was a force all across North East today is reduced as a side player in the game. Congress today only relies on the Church-supported narrative to help its candidates on odd 18 seats where it has fielded candidates. This has happened when Congress received 36.28 per cent votes in 2008 and 24.89 per cent in 2013. The BJP, on the other hand, got measly 5.35 per cent votes in 2008 and 1.75 per cent in 2013.&nbsp;

Despite the intrinsic strength and a bigger organisation, Congress allowed a bigger playing field to BJP in this election. The result is that most of the prominent Congress faces are fighting elections under the symbol of different parties. Among the regional parties, the ruling Naga People&#39;s Front maintains a massive edge over Nationalist Democratic People&#39;s Party-BJP alliance which is being led by the former Chief Minister Rio.

&nbsp;The bottom line is that both BJP and Congress, depending on their numbers in assembly, will reposition themselves so that they can be part of the government. The only difference between the both is that BJP is seen to be fighting the election and Congress is struggling to keep up its campaign floating. BJP is seen as a player for the fact that they are in power in the Centre.&nbsp;

As of now, not a single rally of Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been planned which itself is an indication of the lack of importance placed by the party. Lastly, Congress General Secretary CP Joshi has been an abysmal failure who is resented by the Congress across North East.&nbsp;

Another reality is that political mistrust also pervades between NDPP and BJP over funds and loyalty. NPF despite having an edge is still divided into two factions and can split on the question of CM&#39;s post. Nonetheless, it all depends on numbers election results will throw.&nbsp;

The sum total of the election is that with Church jumping into the fray, the game has opened. The only casualty is the debate on the real issue of diversion of state funds and cash for votes. It a disease which continues to flourish in the state with great pomp and show.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Nagaland is the faultline where majoritarian nationalism has met its challenge from a small state.

Nagaland is an ideological frontier to the mainland cultural nationalism. The current mainstream nationalism has met its match in a highly evangelized society which today is interchangeable with the Naga identity. Elections which were supposed to rotate around the issue of Naga Accord today stands superseded by the narrative of cultural freedom, dietary habits and Naga way of life which is primarily Christian today. Nagaland underwent the process of proselytisation under the British rule where American missionary Edwin W. Clark opened their first mission in Naga Hills near Ao Naga. Rest is history. It is an event in sub-continental history which will stay with the Union of India. Whether it was insularity of Hinduism at that point of time and absence of the dogma to convert or restriction of movement of Indian preachers in colonial India when Hinduism also acquired consciousness of number over caste, the demographic map of North East changed for good. It is this restlessness of BJP and RSS on the issue of conversions which meets the settled reality of Nagaland wherein Naga identity stands coterminous with Christianity. This is also a case in Mizoram but in Kohima, it is married to the idea of Greater Nagaland or Nagalim. Previous elections moved from one issue to another but the question of Naga identity remained central to the political narrative. This time, with Nagaland Baptist Church Council issuing a statement, the game changed suddenly and unexpectedly. It set the cat amongst the pigeons. Every political party had to recalibrate its position on issues ranging from faith to food. It is for this reason that BJP has gone to town on the issue of faith. BJP leaders declare in every meeting that Nagaland will be served best of Indian secularism. It is to rest the anxiety over the hard edge of cultural nationalism that has come to dominate Indian political landscape. It is an admission of the reality that what works in Uttar Pradesh will not work in Nagaland. Nagaland, in fact, is the border where majoritarian nationalism has met its challenge from a small state. It stems from ruling party’s desire to expand in areas which have been culturally different from heartland politics. This has happened because of mass media and Internet as distant ‘realities’ acquire local political relevance. The elections also tell us that Church in North East has never been apolitical. The Baptist Church by writing the letter has officially acknowledged that it gives primacy to the Christian identity of people living in Nagaland than ethnic roots. It is because of this debate that Nagaland is failing to discuss the real issue of massive corruption and organised pilferage of state subsidy by powerful politicians, bureaucrats and underground organisations. Beautiful houses are built alongside few of the worst maintained or not so their roads through the state. Nagaland is littered with expensive cars but it does not have industry to boost off. This happens for one simple reason and that being cash for votes. The cash distribution capacity represents the true strength of any candidate. For the fact that payment has become acceptable, the electorate loses its own moral power to question the politicians they elect as their representatives. Lastly, Congress which was a force all across North East today is reduced as a side player in the game. Congress today only relies on the Church-supported narrative to help its candidates on odd 18 seats where it has fielded candidates. This has happened when Congress received 36.28 per cent votes in 2008 and 24.89 per cent in 2013. The BJP, on the other hand, got measly 5.35 per cent votes in 2008 and 1.75 per cent in 2013. Despite the intrinsic strength and a bigger organisation, Congress allowed a bigger playing field to BJP in this election. The result is that most of the prominent Congress faces are fighting elections under the symbol of different parties. Among the regional parties, the ruling Naga People's Front maintains a massive edge over Nationalist Democratic People's Party-BJP alliance which is being led by the former Chief Minister Rio. The bottom line is that both BJP and Congress, depending on their numbers in assembly, will reposition themselves so that they can be part of the government. The only difference between the both is that BJP is seen to be fighting the election and Congress is struggling to keep up its campaign floating. BJP is seen as a player for the fact that they are in power in the Centre. As of now, not a single rally of Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been planned which itself is an indication of the lack of importance placed by the party. Lastly, Congress General Secretary CP Joshi has been an abysmal failure who is resented by the Congress across North East. Another reality is that political mistrust also pervades between NDPP and BJP over funds and loyalty. NPF despite having an edge is still divided into two factions and can split on the question of CM's post. Nonetheless, it all depends on numbers election results will throw. The sum total of the election is that with Church jumping into the fray, the game has opened. The only casualty is the debate on the real issue of diversion of state funds and cash for votes. It a disease which continues to flourish in the state with great pomp and show. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Corruption rules in Nagaland but election will be won on religious identity

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