VHP Tells India Prime Minister to Confine Himself to Politics

GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 2, 2002: The VHP on Monday, states this article in the Hindustan Times, advised Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to confine himself to politics and leave matters of faith to religious leaders. “It is better if he (Vajpayee) confines himself to politics and leaves matters of faith to religious leaders,” VHP senior vice-president…

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Malaysian Indians Plan Conference

GO TO SOURCE KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, April 2, 2002: A conference entitled “The Malaysian Indian in the New Millennium — Rebuilding Community” is planned here June 1 and 2, 2002. The main aim of the conference is to reflect upon the position of Malaysian Indians at the beginning of the new millennium, taking into account the many challenges facing the…

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Kanchi Shankaracharya Planning Visit to Malaysia

GO TO SOURCE KAULA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, April 2, 2002: The Malaysia Hindu Sangam announced today that Dr. Srinivasan, representative of the Shankaracharya of Kanchi, Jayendra Saraswati, is visiting Malaysia to arrange a visit by the Shankaracharya in the near future. He is meeting with Hindu leaders April 4 at 7:30 pm at Kalaamandapam, Lorong Scott, off Jalan Scott in KL.…

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Town Calls “Timeout” for Overextended Families

Source: New York Times RIDGEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, March 29, 2002: The people in this suburban town decided they weren’t spending enough quality time as families because they were overscheduling their children. They began meeting with community leaders and school officials, and scheduled themselves some free time. Tonight was declared “Family Night,” an evening when everyone was encouraged to set aside…

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Stanford University Hindus Students Start Own Class on Hinduism

GO TO SOURCE STANFORD, CALIFORNIA, April 2, 2002: Hindu Students Council (HSC) at Stanford University announces a class on “Hinduism in the Modern Era.” For the first time in Stanford University history, a class on Hinduism has been created by Hindu students. The class seeks to provide a clearer and more balanced picture of Hinduism, including religious, social, and political…

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Fear Grips Residents of Jammu After Temple Attack

GO TO SOURCE JAMMU, INDIA, April 4, 2002: Saturday’s terrorist attack on the historic Raghunath Temple, the first major strike by the Kashmiri militants in past 12 years, has shaken the residents of Jammu. The attack, which killed ten persons, stopped business activity in the winter capital on Sunday, with people preferring to stay indoors. The 150-year-old Raghunath Temple has…

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India’s Prime Minister Warns About New Brand of Hindutva

GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 27, 2002: In disapproval of recent actions of Hindu militants, Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on Wednesday said it would be better to “keep a distance” from the kind of Hindutva being practiced by some now. He said when Swami Vivekananda spoke of Hinduism, nobody called him being communal. “But now, some people…

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Pondicherry Prisoners Complain of Forced Conversions in Jail

GO TO SOURCE CHENNAI, INDIA, March 31, 2002: The Pondicherry government has ordered an inquiry into alleged forced conversions of prisoners into Christianity, after six prisoners formally lodged a complaint with the state government. Though there had been allegations that P. David, the jail superintendent of Pondicherry Central Prison, was forcing prisoners to convert and was allowing Christian propagandists free…

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In Assam, Holi Revives Art Forms

GO TO SOURCE GUWAHATI, INDIA, April 1, 2002: Mixing religion with an initiative to revive dying art forms is what temple authorities at the Dol Gobindo mandir near here did on Saturday on the occasion of Holi. The five-day-long Dol Utsav here — thronged by thousands, apart from local villagers — is not just a celebration of religion or the…

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Malaysia Hindu Police Gather for a Day of Prayer

GO TO SOURCE KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, April 1, 2002: About 400 Hindu policemen and their families offered prayers at the Arulmigu Sri Ramalingam Eswarar Temple in Jalan Maarof, Bangsar on March 30. The gathering was organized by police personnel in the Klang Valley and was meant to bless them and their families in conjunction with the recent 195th Police Day…

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