India Targets ‘Fake Sadhus,’ Risking Overreach Into Religious Identity

(ANALYSIS) Operation Kalanemi comes dangerously close to the kind of state control over religion seen in countries like China and Vietnam, where the state tightly controls religious activity by licensing clergy, approving sermons and monitoring places of worship, allowing only state-recognized versions of religion to function. Without clear laws, fair process and respect for constitutional limits, this drive in Uttarakhand risks turning the police into arbiters of faith — something a secular democracy cannot allow.

Religious Tensions Drive India’s Booming Bumper Sticker Economy

On India’s busy streets, vehicles adorned with Hindu symbols are more than just modes of transport — they have increasingly become mobile expressions of political and religious identity. The proliferation of these Hindu stickers has transformed everyday commuting, a phenomenon deeply intertwined with rising religious tensions.

A Hindu’s Heroism In A Muslim School: When Having Faith Means Saving Lives

When a shell slammed into a madrassa (an Islamic school) housing over 1,200 children, its caretaker, Sayyed Habib, didn’t dial the army or the police. He didn’t call emergency services. He called Pradeep Sharma, a Hindu and former lawmaker, and his best friend since ninth grade. it was an example of how people of differing faiths found it in their hearts to help one another.

Why The Indian Government Fears A Caste Census

(ANALYSIS) The central government’s gazette notification for India’s upcoming 2027 census omits the word “caste.” This, despite earlier public assurances that caste data would be collected. The absence of explicit mention has triggered accusations of deliberate evasion. Is the reluctance tied to the disruptive potential of a full caste enumeration—one that could unsettle the ideological foundations of Hindu nationalist politics?

Sri Lanka’s New Mass Grave Reveals Failure Of ‘Peace’ Through Violence

(ANALYSIS) To this day, there are no national memorials for the victims. Instead, triumphalist military monuments, many of them built in Tamil-majority areas, celebrate a victory in a war whose collateral damage amounted to war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Why Islam Grew (And Christianity Didn’t) Around The World In Just A Decade

Between 2010 and 2020, global religious affiliation shifted significantly, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis. While Christianity remains the world’s largest religion, its growth lagged behind overall population growth. Christians increased by 122 million to 2.3 billion, but their share of the global population fell. At the same time, Islam saw a global surge.

Belief, Belonging And Practice: Burge’s New Book Maps Religion In Modern America

(REVIEW) It’s been said, “You may not care about politics, but politics cares about you.” The same is true of religion. If you want to better understand your neighbors — and the cultural and political forces shaping America — “The American Religious Landscape” is the primer you’ve been looking for. Despite all the data, it’s also a book that does not disappoint.

Amid India-Pakistan Tensions, What International Law Says About War

(EXPLAINER) As tensions rise between India and Pakistan, questions about what constitutes a lawful war are once again in focus. International law makes a clear distinction between jus ad bellum (the right to go to war) and jus in bello (the rules governing conduct in war). These are framed by the United Nations Charter, customary international law and treaties such as the Geneva Conventions, all of which define what states and their leaders can — and cannot — do during conflict.

Lynching In Mangaluru: The Story Of An Indian City Haunted By Hate

(ANALYSIS) Ashraf, a Muslim and daily wage labourer from Wayanad, Kerala, had arrived in this coastal Karnataka city just weeks earlier. On the evening of April 27, he was found dead near a temple in Kudupu — barely six miles (10 kilometers) from Mangaluru city’s centre. Reportedly killed on the sidelines of a cricket match, his death was a brutal act that felt grimly familiar.

Meet India’s Youngest Journalists: Living And Reporting From The Streets

Curated by street children, the Delhi-based Balaknama brings powerful stories about underprivileged children and their surroundings in several cities across India. These children have lived the hardships they write about, giving their journalism rare authenticity and depth. Through Balaknama, they now have a platform to voice their issues and challenges.

Crossroads Podcast: Why Current Religion Trends Are So Confusing

While we were recording the podcast this week, I told Lutheran Public Radio listeners that I was well aware that much of the information I was sharing was rather complex, if not downright confusing. That was kind of the point. When it comes to statistical trends in religion, we live in a very, very confusing age.

2 Major US Religion Surveys Coincide, With Some Guarded Good News

(ANALYSIS) One of the most impactful cultural changes in 21st-century America has been the steady decline in Christian vitality, as measured by membership, baptisms versus funerals, worship attendance, practices, and perceptions. Two major new social science surveys suggest that this decline may have bottomed out — though statistics about secularizing youth give believers ample reason to worry about the future.

Why Manipur’s ‘Territorial Integrity’ Remains A Risky Narrative

(ANALYSIS) In international law, territorial integrity would mean a country’s right to “sovereignty” over its entire territory, prohibiting external interference or attempts to alter its borders. In Manipur, the term refers to preserving the territory of the state as it existed at the end of the British Raj in 1947. Protecting a state’s “territorial integrity” is largely a political concern with little constitutional basis.

Reverence For The Waters Of The Ganga Draws Millions To India’s Maha Kumbh Festival

Called the world’s largest religious gathering, the event has already drawn 148 million people. Attendance is expected to exceed 400 million by the time it ends on Feb. 26, and surging crowds have already claimed dozens of lives at the sacred site. Attendees range from Indian business tycoons and members of parliament to social media personages, film stars and celebrities.

Analysis, Asia, hinduism, India, NewsSudipta SenFebruary 12, 2025Maha Kumbh, Hinduism, news, India, Asia, festivals, Sudipta Sen, analysis, Secondary featureComment

America’s Religious Heritage And Trump’s New Transgender Agenda

(ANALYSIS) With the transgender policies among President Trump’s blizzard of new executive orders, further explanation is needed on the cultural reality of deep-seated religious concepts. In particular, the resolutely “binary” Bible depicts humans as either male or female and underlies 2,000 years of Jewish and Christian teaching. Similarly with the Quran and Muslims. How should that heritage affect secular society and policy?

Keeping The Faith: Religious Pilgrimages Are Back In A Big Way

In an era of secularism, where discussions often center around the decline of religious belief, going on a pilgrimage may seem outdated. However, the reality is quite the opposite. The appeal of religious tourism attracts people of all ages. As many make plans for the coming summer, this type of tourism has become big business in a post-pandemic world.

US Has Low Levels Of ‘Religious Nationalism,’ But Its Impact Stands Out

The United States has a “relatively low level of religious nationalism” compared to other countries, but its impact on politics and society is particularly notable among high-income nations. The Pew Research Study released on Tuesday examined the role of religion worldwide by surveying people across 36 countries.

Watch: 2002 Shadows of Religious Violence In India Lingers for Muslim Victims

Khairunissa, along with her siblings and parents, spent years living in a multi-religious and multicultural apartment in Gujarat state’s Ahmedabad city. When communal tensions and targeted violence against Muslims erupted in the Indian city on Feb. 28, 2002, her family initially felt secure, confident that their neighbors would be able to protect them.

A Temple Reborn: Finding Hope and Harmony In Kashmir

Nestled in the serene yet scarred landscapes of South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, the Arde Nareshwar Temple stood as a silent witness to one of the darkest chapters in the region’s history. For over two decades, its bells were silent, its walls deserted — haunted by the tragic massacre of 24 Kashmiri Hindus also known as Kashmiri Pandits in 2003 that forever changed the narrative of this quaint village.

Meet India’s Youngest Muslim Member Of Parliament: ‘Need To Empower Women’

In a momentous occasion for Indian politics, Iqra Chaudhary Hasan recently took her oath as a Member of Parliament, marking several historic firsts. Draped in a white scarf, she represents many firsts — the young politician has become India’s youngest female member, the youngest Muslim and the youngest female Muslim. This achievement highlights her unique position and a sign that a shift in the nation’s political landscape has taken place.

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