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The Supreme Court of India will hear petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits altering the religious character of worship places to their pre-1947 state and bars related lega

Petitions Against Places of Worship Act Up for SC Hearing Today

The Supreme Court of India will hear petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits altering the religious character of worship places to their pre-1947 state and bars related legal proceedings.

A special bench, consisting of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Vishwanathan, will deliberate on the matter at 3:30 pm today.

The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear petitions challenging the constitutionality of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits the alteration of the religious character of places of worship to their pre-August 15, 1947 state. This law also disallows any legal proceedings aimed at reclaiming or altering such sites.
A special bench, consisting of Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justices PV Sanjay Kumar and KV Vishwanathan, will deliberate on the matter at 3:30 pm today. The petitions argue that the Act infringes upon the rights of Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs, preventing them from reclaiming places of worship and pilgrimage that were destroyed or altered by invaders.
Notable individuals, including Maharaja Kumari Krishna Priya of the Kashi Royal Family, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy, former MP Chintamani Malviya, and religious leaders such as Swami Jeetendranand Saraswati, have filed petitions against the Act. They contend that it violates the principles of secularism and deprives them of their right to manage, maintain, and restore sacred sites.
The petitioners also criticize specific provisions within the law, including Sections 2, 3, and 4, which they claim restrict religious practices and the right to judicial recourse. Section 3 bars the conversion of places of worship, while Section 4 prevents the initiation of lawsuits that seek to change the religious character of any place of worship from that of August 15, 1947.
The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, along with other Muslim organizations such as the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, has opposed the petitions, arguing that allowing these lawsuits would lead to widespread litigation targeting mosques across the country. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, responsible for managing the Gyanvapi mosque, has also intervened in the case to urge the dismissal of these pleas.
One of the petitioners raised concerns about the Act's exclusion of certain religious sites, claiming inconsistency in how the law treats different religious communities. The petitions also argue that the law unjustly limits the rights of Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and Sikh communities while allowing Muslim communities to reclaim religious properties through separate provisions, such as those in the Waqf Act.
In essence, the petitioners contend that the Places of Worship Act not only violates several fundamental rights under the Constitution, including the rights to religious freedom, cultural heritage, and judicial remedy, but it also perpetuates an arbitrary and unjust status quo that prevents religious communities from reclaiming or managing their sacred spaces.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has flags concerns for minorities in India at the release of the annual report on international religious freedom. 


US flags increase in 'anti-conversion' laws, 'hate speech against minorities' in India

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken flags concerns for minorities in India at the release of the annual report on international religious freedom.&nbsp;

There has been a "concerning increase" in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, and demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities in India, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said.
In his remarks at the release of the annual State Department report on international religious freedom, Blinken said on Wednesday that at the same time, people around the world are also working hard to protect religious freedom.
The report stated that senior US officials continued to raise concerns about religious freedom issues with their Indian counterparts in 2023.
"In India, we see a concerning increase in anti-conversion laws, hate speech, demolitions of homes and places of worship for members of minority faith communities. At the same time, people around the world are also working hard to protect religious freedom," the secretary of state said.
Ten of 28 states have laws restricting religious conversions for all faiths. Some of these states also impose penalties specifically against forced religious conversions for the purpose of marriage, the 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom stated for India.
During the year, some members of religious minority groups challenged the government&rsquo;s ability and willingness to protect them from violence, investigate crimes against members of religious minority groups, and protect their freedom of religion or belief, it stated.
India has previously rejected the US state department's annual human rights report on the country, saying they continue to be based on "misinformation and flawed understanding".
"Motivated and biased commentary by some US officials only serves to undermine further the credibility of these reports," the Ministry of External Affairs said last year.
"We value our partnership with the U.S. and will continue to have frank exchanges on issues of concern to us,&rdquo; it said.
In this year's report, the US state department said that Christians and Muslims were arrested under laws banning forced religious conversions, which religious groups said in some cases were used to harass and imprison members of religious minority groups on false and fabricated charges or for lawful religious practices.
Observing that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated calls to enact a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) at the national level as called for in the Constitution instead of a system of separate personal laws for religious communities, the state department said Muslim, Sikh, Christian, and tribal leaders and some state government officials opposed the initiative on the grounds it was part of a project to turn the country into a "Hindu Rashtra (a Hindu Nation)".
Some UCC proponents, including opposition politicians, said a UCC would promote greater equality, including for women, by preventing polygamy or inequitable inheritance within personal religious laws.
Welcoming the report, the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) said it echoes findings presented in the annual report released by the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom that calls on the State Department to designate India as a "Country of Particular Concern (CPC)" for ongoing and severe violations of religious freedoms for minorities.
"Once again, it is clear from the State Department's own reporting that India more than qualifies as a CPC,&rdquo; IAMC executive director Rasheed Ahmed said and added that "now it is time for Secretary Blinken to act on these facts, as well as the facts that have been presented by USCIRF for years, and designate India as a CPC".&nbsp;
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Underlining that all religions are equal before the Constitution, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Sunday said MPs should avoid making provocative statements about any religion and maintain the dignity and decorum of parliament at all times.
Birla, who completes three years in office on Sunday, thanked leaders of all political parties for contributing towards making his journey so far successful, and said it was a big achievement that the House's average productivity during the period has been above 100 per cent.
The House has functioned for nearly 1,000 hours across eight sessions so far in the 17th Lok Sabha, he said.
Terming discussions and debates "ornament of a democracy," Birla told PTI in an interview that parliamentarians should avoid unnecessary aggression and shouting while speaking in parliament.
"Discussion, debate are crucial parts of a parliamentary democracy. Sarcasm, taking digs at each other are also acceptable during debates. But unnecessary aggression, shouting and interrupting each other should be avoided by MPs in parliament," Birla said.
He further said parliament should not be used as a platform to make baseless allegations and counter-allegations by political leaders.
On the question of heated debates among politicians these days on religions, Birla suggested members of parliaments should refrain from making provocative statements against any religion as all religions are equal before the Constitution. "While speaking on religious issues MPs should keep in mind that their statements do not hurt the feelings and sentiments of any other religion. We all should diligently follow this practice and convention. Our Constitution gives everyone the right to practice their own religion," Birla said.
Asserting that parliament functions according to the Constitution, Birla said, "Provocative remarks against any religion should not be made in parliament. Its dignity and decorum should be maintained all the time." Asked about Facebook whistle-blower Sophie Zhang expressing her desire to depose before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT but not being asked by the authorities here to appear, Birla said there are rules and regulations in place to call someone to depose before a parliamentary panel.
"It is not appropriate that someone says 'I have not been called by the committee'. There are systems and procedures to call someone before the parliamentary panel. And the final decision lies with the Lok Sabha speaker," Birla said.
Talking about the new parliament building being built under the central vista project, Birla said he is confident that the Winter Session this year would be held in the new structure.
"The work on the new building is going on in full swing. It will show the glimpses of both modern India and our rich history. It will display the culture of all states of India," Birla said.
Birla, a second-term MP of the BJP from Rajasthan, was unanimously elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 19, 2019.

MPs should avoid making statements that hurt religious feelings: Speaker Om Birla

Terming discussions and debates "ornament of a democracy," Birla told PTI in an interview that parliamentarians should avoid unnecessary aggression and shouting while speaking in parliament

Underlining that all religions are equal before the Constitution, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Sunday said MPs should avoid making provocative statements about any religion and maintain the dignity and decorum of parliament at all times.
Birla, who completes three years in office on Sunday, thanked leaders of all political parties for contributing towards making his journey so far successful, and said it was a big achievement that the House's average productivity during the period has been above 100 per cent.
The House has functioned for nearly 1,000 hours across eight sessions so far in the 17th Lok Sabha, he said.
Terming discussions and debates "ornament of a democracy," Birla told PTI in an interview that parliamentarians should avoid unnecessary aggression and shouting while speaking in parliament.
"Discussion, debate are crucial parts of a parliamentary democracy. Sarcasm, taking digs at each other are also acceptable during debates. But unnecessary aggression, shouting and interrupting each other should be avoided by MPs in parliament," Birla said.
He further said parliament should not be used as a platform to make baseless allegations and counter-allegations by political leaders.
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On the question of heated debates among politicians these days on religions, Birla suggested members of parliaments should refrain from making provocative statements against any religion as all religions are equal before the Constitution. "While speaking on religious issues MPs should keep in mind that their statements do not hurt the feelings and sentiments of any other religion. We all should diligently follow this practice and convention. Our Constitution gives everyone the right to practice their own religion," Birla said.
Asserting that parliament functions according to the Constitution, Birla said, "Provocative remarks against any religion should not be made in parliament. Its dignity and decorum should be maintained all the time." Asked about Facebook whistle-blower Sophie Zhang expressing her desire to depose before the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT but not being asked by the authorities here to appear, Birla said there are rules and regulations in place to call someone to depose before a parliamentary panel.
"It is not appropriate that someone says 'I have not been called by the committee'. There are systems and procedures to call someone before the parliamentary panel. And the final decision lies with the Lok Sabha speaker," Birla said.
Talking about the new parliament building being built under the central vista project, Birla said he is confident that the Winter Session this year would be held in the new structure.
"The work on the new building is going on in full swing. It will show the glimpses of both modern India and our rich history. It will display the culture of all states of India," Birla said.
Birla, a second-term MP of the BJP from Rajasthan, was unanimously elected as the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 19, 2019.

The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report recommended to the Biden Administration to designate India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and 11 other nations as "countries of particular concern" in the context of religious freedom.
A Hindu body in the US called the USCIRF report on religious freedom a work of "Hinduphobic" commission members while Muslim and Christian groups hailed the observations made in it, demanding that the US declare India as a "country of particular concern".
The recommendations are not binding on the US government.
HinduPACT, an initiative of the World Hindu Council of America, in a statement alleged that the USCIRF has been taken over by "Indophobic and Hinduphobic members".
The American Muslim Institution (AMI) and its associate organisations applaud the USCIRF recommendation, saying religious freedom conditions in India "significantly worsened" in 2021.
The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations and the Indian American Muslim Council in separate statements also applauded the USCIRF recommendation.
During a special virtual congressional briefing, a day after the release of the report, USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava had alleged that Indian government officials were tolerating and engaging in religious persecution of Muslims and Christians with prolific mob violence.
India has dismissed such allegations. Senior US government officials have told lawmakers that India has a vibrant civil society, an independent judiciary and a mature functional democracy, which has enough mechanisms to address the internal human rights concerns if any.
HinduPACT in a statement slammed the USCIRF.
"This year’s report follows a pattern of reports that have appeared in previous years. Based on publicly available information on topics like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Kashmir, the USCIRF report is a copy-and-paste of talking points peddled by an agglomeration of Islamist groups working with radical Islamist group Justice for All on whose platform USCIRF commissioners appear regularly," alleged Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director of HinduPACT.
"It is now obvious that the USCIRF has been taken over by the Indophobic and Hinduphobic members. Many of these members have attended India and Hindu bashing events. It is no surprise that their selective observations are meant to promote a political agenda and further their electoral reach in select communities," said Ajay Shah, president of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA).
In a statement, Koshy George, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations, recommended that the president and the US Administration accept the USCIRF recommendations and name India as a "country of particular concern" while it could still help protect American interests in that region for the long-term.
"This could also go a long way in helping the Union of India remain a functioning liberal democracy with respect for all religious and linguistic minorities," he said.
Indian-American Muslim Council executive director Rasheed Ahmed said they commend the USCIRF for "refusing to cave in to the lobbying of US-based right-wing Hindu nationalist groups and making clear that the ground reality of minorities in India is of constant harassment and violence".
"Given the damning information presented in this report, US State Department officials must now act on the recommendations made by the USCIRF by officially designating India as a CPC and by imposing targeted sanctions upon the Indian government to hold officials responsible for encouraging hate," said Syed Afzal Ali, president of the IAMC.

USCIRF recommends to designate India, 14 others 'Country of Particular Concern'; US Hindu groups object

The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report recommended to the Biden Administration to designate India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and 11 other nations as "countries of particular concern" in the context of religious freedom.&nbsp; HinduPACT, an initiative of the World Hindu Council of America, in a statement alleged that the USCIRF has been taken over by "Indophobic and Hinduphobic members", while Muslim and Christian groups hailed the observations made in it. The American Muslim Institution (AMI) and its associate organisations applaud the USCIRF recommendation, saying religious freedom conditions in India "significantly worsened" in 2021.&nbsp;

A Hindu body in the US called the USCIRF report on religious freedom a work of "Hinduphobic" commission members while Muslim and Christian groups hailed the observations made in it, demanding that the US declare India as a "country of particular concern"

The US Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report recommended to the Biden Administration to designate India, China, Pakistan, Afghanistan and 11 other nations as "countries of particular concern" in the context of religious freedom.
A Hindu body in the US called the USCIRF report on religious freedom a work of "Hinduphobic" commission members while Muslim and Christian groups hailed the observations made in it, demanding that the US declare India as a "country of particular concern".
The recommendations are not binding on the US government.
HinduPACT, an initiative of the World Hindu Council of America, in a statement alleged that the USCIRF has been taken over by "Indophobic and Hinduphobic members".
The American Muslim Institution (AMI) and its associate organisations applaud the USCIRF recommendation, saying religious freedom conditions in India "significantly worsened" in 2021.
The Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations and the Indian American Muslim Council in separate statements also applauded the USCIRF recommendation.
During a special virtual congressional briefing, a day after the release of the report, USCIRF Commissioner Anurima Bhargava had alleged that Indian government officials were tolerating and engaging in religious persecution of Muslims and Christians with prolific mob violence.
India has dismissed such allegations. Senior US government officials have told lawmakers that India has a vibrant civil society, an independent judiciary and a mature functional democracy, which has enough mechanisms to address the internal human rights concerns if any.
HinduPACT in a statement slammed the USCIRF.
"This year&rsquo;s report follows a pattern of reports that have appeared in previous years. Based on publicly available information on topics like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Kashmir, the USCIRF report is a copy-and-paste of talking points peddled by an agglomeration of Islamist groups working with radical Islamist group Justice for All on whose platform USCIRF commissioners appear regularly," alleged Utsav Chakrabarti, executive director of HinduPACT.
"It is now obvious that the USCIRF has been taken over by the Indophobic and Hinduphobic members. Many of these members have attended India and Hindu bashing events. It is no surprise that their selective observations are meant to promote a political agenda and further their electoral reach in select communities," said Ajay Shah, president of the World Hindu Council of America (VHPA).
In a statement, Koshy George, Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations, recommended that the president and the US Administration accept the USCIRF recommendations and name India as a "country of particular concern" while it could still help protect American interests in that region for the long-term.
"This could also go a long way in helping the Union of India remain a functioning liberal democracy with respect for all religious and linguistic minorities," he said.
Indian-American Muslim Council executive director Rasheed Ahmed said they commend the USCIRF for "refusing to cave in to the lobbying of US-based right-wing Hindu nationalist groups and making clear that the ground reality of minorities in India is of constant harassment and violence".
"Given the damning information presented in this report, US State Department officials must now act on the recommendations made by the USCIRF by officially designating India as a CPC and by imposing targeted sanctions upon the Indian government to hold officials responsible for encouraging hate," said Syed Afzal Ali, president of the IAMC.
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