GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 17, 2002: A. P. J. Kalam, the father of India’s missile program, is a far cry from the somber men who have occupied the sandstone presidential palace during India’s past 55 years. The man expected to be named the new president on Thursday is a scientist who believes that fear of nuclear conflict…
GO TO SOURCE TULSA, OKLAHOMA, July 18, 2002: Thirty Asian-Indians held under conditions akin to slavery in Tulsa, Oklahoma, have been freed, a report said on Thursday. The Indians, without proper visas, were working for a pickle factory on half the minimum wages and were denied adequate food, NTV reported. They were made to sleep in a small room in…
GO TO SOURCE TIMES NEWS NETWORK, VADODARA, INDIA, July 15, 2002: It is not often that “saffron” [of Hinduism] meets “green” [of Islam] in post-Godhra Gujarat, however two religious scholars took on the task at a seminar on peace organized by the Lion’s Club and Idara Khidmate Khalk. Islamic scholar and theologian, Maulana K. R. Sajjad Nomani said a majority…
Source: Religion News Service MOBILE, ALABAMA, July 15, 2002: This report from Religion News Service provides insight into what happens when the Hindu practice of yoga is attempted by those of other religions. The article states, in part, “A few years ago, Susan Bordenkircher wasn’t comfortable doing yoga. It wasn’t that she got bent out of shape by any of…
GO TO SOURCE CHENNAI, INDIA July 15, 2002: A gang of women chain snatchers struck during a temple festival at Perambur this morning and relieved five women devotees of their gold chains, totally weighing about 30 sovereigns. They mingled with the crowd posing as devotees during the kumbhabhishekam of Dhandayuthapani Thirukkoil on Temple Road in Jawahar Nagar. They took away…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 16, 2002: The Centre (e.g., the federal government of India) on Tuesday said the religious and linguistic minorities cannot enjoy “absolute rights” under the Constitution to establish and administer their educational institutions. Solicitor General Harish Salve representing the Centre told an eleven-judge bench of the Supreme Court that the minorities’ constitutional rights should…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 14, 2002: Speaking at the celebration honoring the 83rd birthday of the Jain Saint Acharya Mahapragya, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Sushma Swaraj said, “If only we could all accept ahimsa (nonviolence), it will help in destroying terrorism from its very roots everywhere in the world.” Referring to terrorist attacks in Jammu and…
GO TO SOURCE MUMBAI, INDIA, July 10 2002: Having failed in its endeavor to reduce addiction to liquor and tobacco-related products through its various programs, the Prohibition Department of the Maharashtra government has now turned to spirituality. The minister concerned, Dr Dashrath Bhande, has directed the district collectors to seek the help of kirtankars and provachankars (those who deliver spiritual…
GO TO SOURCE KHEDA & PETLAD, INDIA, July 13, 2002: While peace prevailed in most of the state, it was central Gujarat that witnessed communal flare-ups on the day of the Jagannath Rath Yatra. Both Kheda and Petlad towns witnessed pitched battles between the Muslim and Hindu communities on Friday night and the situation was tense even on Saturday, as…
GO TO SOURCE LUCKNOW, INDIA, July 14, 2002: The historically rich Garh Mukteshwar may well turn out to be Uttar Pradesh’s “Hardwar,” which it lost to the new state of Uttaranchal, carved out of UP in 2000. Hardwar is one of the foremost pilgrimage destinations of India. The star attraction at both sites is the holy Ganga, which the UP…