Police and Cows Attacked on Eid (Bakri Eid) by Muslim Mob in Gujarat

A team of police visited Sansrod to raid the place where slaughter was being carried out. When police team reached, two deadbodies of calves were lying there, photos of which are published in some Gujarati newspapers today. Four butchers were caught in the act. Later police involved itself in panchnama procedure According to head constable/driver Bhagvangiri Shankargiri, suddenly there was a voice like a siren from the mosque. Soon a large mob of over 200 Muslims gathered there. Some of them were possessing sharp weapons.

Bhupendrasinh was attacked with sharp weapon on his chest and back, and was also beaten up with bamboo stick. Other police men were injured in heavy stone pelting.PSI Sagar fired two rounds in air. 22 tear gas shells were lobbed. It is reported that Muslims snatched PSI Sagar’s revolver and threw it to rain water channel. A JCB excavator machine was employed on urgent basis to recover revolver. After hours of efforts, revolver was found out.

Police men FD Solanki, Rajendrasinh Lallubhai and Jesingbhai and Vanraj Bharwad ran away and had shelter in one house owned by local Hindu Vasantbhai Bhatt. Muslims surrounded the house from all sides and refused policemen to allow to leave. This situation continued for three hours according to local witnesses.

District police chief and other senior police officials got the details of the incident and rushed to the village, but choose to camp outside the village at Hindustan Petroleum pump on national highway no.8. District Collector, DySP and others also rushed to the the petrol pump. One police man abducted by villagers escaped successfully. He managed to get basic medical treatment nearby and reached petrol pump. At a petrol pump, District police chief called local Muslim leaders one-by-one to talk about release of abducted policemen.

Local Muslim leaders Altaf Yakul Saleh, Sarpanch Abbasbhai Asodwala and Babu Bavla made condition that they would free the abducted cops only in exchange of release of four butchers arrested from the village. The DSP clearly told Muslims, “this is not Kashmir. If you wish to kill abducted policemen, go ahead, we will do what we need to do, but culprits will not be released.”

After 12.00 the three police men were released and taken to petrol pump in police vehicle. They said they were not harmed during abduction.

According to a report in local newspaper, 200 strong mob gathered to attack the police men only after an announcement from mosque. Women were kept on front side. Police was first attacked with chilly powder, and later with stones.

Those arrested are Ismael Ahmed Limdawala, Harukh Mohammadhussain Bau Diwan, Abdul Ibrahim Limdawala, Mayuddin Umarji Ghanina.  Muslims torched one police jeep.

Muslim teenagers blocked a road connecting to the village by putting a tree and a bullock cart to prevent police’s entry. Police have filed a complaint against a mob of 100-124 persons. More than 39 were identified within hours.

All 100-125 are now facing charged under sections 307, 326, 395, 397, 353, 186, 332, 333, 224, 427, 428, 429, 435, 201.

9.55: Police raided Sansrod village
10.20: Gau Raksha volunteer ran away to rescue his life.
10.28: Attack on police.
10.50: PSI and others injured taken to hospital.
11.03:DySP Usha Rada arrived and camped outside the village.
11.28: Police team was waiting for more force to arrive.
11.45: DSP Sandip Sinh arrived at petrol pump.
11.51: Village leader Altaf Saleh met DSP.
11.59: Sarpanch Abbas Asodwala arrived at petrol pump and met the DSP.
12.07: Village leader Babu Bavla met the DSP.
12.13: DSP held meeting with village leaders.
12.15: Police team went inside the village in a jeep with local Muslim leaders.
12.20:Three abducted police men were taken to petrol pump.
1.22: District collector reached petrol pump.
3.00:Range IG Anupamsinh Gehlot reached petrol pump and met the DSP.
6.15: Police complaint filed.

Major media has not covered this event due to its sensitive nature, but based on local witnesses, twitter images and blog posts, the following events have been reported to have taken place on the week of Oct 16 2013.

Pakistani hindu refugee in India

Due to the tragic state of Hindus living in Muslim majority Pakistan, there are more and more hindus trying to seek refuge in neighboring India. However, due to many political influences the Indian administration has not fully given these hindus refugee status. Over the years there have been thousands of cases around the kidnappings, rape, forceful conversion to Islam and murder of the religious hindu minority living in Pakistan, with little to no internal media attention. These circumstances make it even more difficult to create awareness of the millions of hindus affected.

The Hindu American Foundation has written various reports highlighting the atrocities and human rights violations of non-muslim minorities (Hindus, Sikhs, Christians) in Pakistan. Recently many human rights reports by NGOs and Governments around the world have also began to vocalize these atrocities on non-muslims. With mounting discrimination and violence in Pakistan, large numbers of Hindus, such as Ram, have migrated to India in recent years.  It is estimated that 1,000 Pakistani Hindus arrive annually in the northwestern Indian state of Rajasthan.

Although the issue of Hindu refugees in India is beginning to get some local media attention, it doesn’t seem likely that the current India Congress Government will do much to protect them. The majority of Pakistan’s remaining Hindu population reside in Sindh, with smaller concentrations in the provinces of Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkwa. Many Sindhi advocacy groups, such as World Sindhi Congress (WSC) and the Sindhi American Political Action Committee (SAPAC) have been active in raising awareness about the plight of Hindus in Sindh.

Here are just a few atrocities and events that have taken place on Hindu and Sikh religious minorities in Pakistan:

At least 25 Hindu Girls Abducted Every Month in the Islamic State of Pakistan
Pakistani Hindu Refugees Feel Fear 24 hours a Day
Four Hindu Doctors Gunned Down in Pakistan
Human Rights Report Released Amidst Worsening Plight of Minorities In Pakistan
HAF Letter to Pakistan Embassy Asks for Restoration of Demolished Temple
Hindus Continue to be Mistreated, Kidnapped and Killed in Pakistan
US Documentary Tour Launched to Promote Pakistani Hindu Refugees
Persecution of Hindu, Christian & Other Minority Women in Pakistan Highlighted at Capitol Hill
Conversion of Hindu Boy to Islam Was Broadcast Live on Pakistani Media (Video)
Hindu’s in Sindh, Pakistan Continue to Face Extreme Discrimination
Hindu Girl Held in Madrassa and Forced to Convert to Islam
Hindus in Pakistan – A People Without a Voice
Cleansing Hindus from Pakistan ‘The land of the ‘Pure’
Hindu Child Kidnapped by Extremists in Sindh Pakistan
Kidnapped Sikhs Forced to Cut their Hair and Embrace Islam
A New Wave of Pakistani Hindus and Sikhs Fleeing to India
Islamic Extremists Abducts and Beheads Two Sikhs in Pakistan and Throw Heads in Gurdwara
Hindu Man Kidnapped in Pakistan: Request for Ransom of 10 Million Rs

You can watch this short 5 minute video to get a glimpse and summary of the Pakistani Hindu Refugee story in India:

Bangladesh’s giant English news media – the Daily Star reported the following in an article called Hindus attacked afresh in 4 dists on March 20th, 2013:

{ In Netrakona, rioters vandalised Hari Mandir in Bobahala village under sadar upazila, damaging seven idols.

Temple priest Mithun Chand, said, “I returned home around 11:00pm [Monday] keeping the Mandir under lock and key. “The next morning, I found the temple vandalised.” 

Also on Monday night, vandals damaged four idols of Hindu goddesses at Kripamoyee Kali Mandir under Sripur upazila in Gazipur. Amir Hossain, officer-in-charge of Sripur Police Station, said, “The temple, situated on the premises of the house of schoolteacher Shupendru Chandra Das, was vandalised sometime at night. The attackers took away the heads of the deities.” }

A statue (murthy) of Lord Krishna at a Hindu temple attacked and destroyed by Islamic Extremists in Bangladesh

Upon receiving continued reports of widespread anti-Hindu violence, the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) called upon the U.S. State Department and international community to urgently address the escalating crisis in Bangladesh. According to local Hindu community leaders, over 50 temples and 1,500 Hindu homes have been either damaged or destroyed by Muslim mobs since late January. The latest violence began when the first of three Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leaders was convicted for committing war crimes during the country’s 1971 War of Independence from Pakistan. JeI is widely believed to have instigated the current spate of violence and a local Jamaat official, Alamgir Kabir Chowdhury, was arrested last Thursday for inciting attacks on Hindus in the southern district of Chittagong.

“Despite the recent arrest of Chowdhury, Jamaat and Islami Chhatra Shibir activists continue to attack the Hindu community in Bangladesh with impunity,” said Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF’s Director and Senior Human Rights Fellow. “The government’s failure to adequately protect religious minorities from ongoing attacks or rehabilitate those already victimized by the violence is unacceptable.”

Media accounts indicated that several Buddhist villages and temples had also been targeted by Islamic extremists. JeI supporters reportedly set off bombs and torched dozens of vehicles in at least four neighborhoods in the capital city of Dhaka, allegedly aimed at causing panic amongst ordinary Bangladeshi citizens.

“These latest attacks are not unique, but rather part of a larger historical pattern of violence against religious minorities and secular Bangladeshis by Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates,” said Jay Kansara, HAF’s Washington, D.C. based Associate Director. “From 1971 to the present, JeI leaders have systematically orchestrated and engaged in attacks on non-Muslims and liberal Bengalis in their quest to create a theocratic Islamic state in Bangladesh.”

West Bengal has seen many hindu temples and homes destroyed by Islamic extremists over the years

By Sandhya Jain (Niti Central)

Amidst a near-complete media blackout and distressing silence from statutory bodies like the National Human Rights Commission, a serious communal flare up has taken place in South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, with more than 200 Hindu homes torched and looted in four villages — Naliakhali, Herobhanga, Gopalpur and Goladogra, in the Canning police station area, from the wee hours of February 19. Almost two dozen Hindu shops were fully damaged and looted in Joynagar police station area; many shopkeepers have fled and members of the besieged community have begun to send their womenfolk away.

Although triggered by a purely local incident, the looming Panchayat elections in the State seem to have given vested interests an opportunity for a show of strength. Competitive communalism is in the air, with the two major political formations fighting to capture the huge Muslim vote in the State.

By all accounts, the trouble began late in the night of February 18-19 when Maulvi Rohul Kuddus (resident of Ghutiyari Shariff, South 24 Parganas) and Abdul Wahab (resident of village Moujpur, Joynagar) were returning from Jaamtala Haat in Kultali after attending a religious congregation. Maulvi Kuddus was driving a motorcycle when the duo was attacked by unidentified culprits on the Naliakhali main road. Maulvi Rohul Kuddus was shot dead and his aide Abdul Wahab, injured.

The motive for the murder is unclear. Reports in a prominent newspaper however, claim that the Maulvi was carrying Rs 11.5 lakhs, which was taken away by the assailants. Other sources say that huge unaccounted funds are circulating in the region and are being used to buy unlicensed firearms and ammunition, under the patronage of political parties.

As rumours spread, large numbers of Muslims began to descend upon the area in trucks. The headmaster of a local school reportedly incited the mob, and soon Hindu homes began to be attacked from the early hours of February 19. The violence quickly escalated with the police and administration initially at a loss. According to local reports, police officers Anup Samaddar and Anup Ghoash of the Canning police station were seriously injured and two police vehicles torched in the turmoil. The unrest has spread to Sandeshkhali area of North 24 Parganas.

Hindu Samhati leader Tapan Ghosh, who is monitoring the situation with volunteers, told a local television channel that after the Maulvi’s body was found, Naliakhali village, which was closest to the site of the crime, was attacked and looted, the village temple damaged, and five women molested. As the police party was initially outnumbered, the mob torched homes with impunity, pouring petrol and setting them ablaze in a three hour rampage. Naliakhali villagers claimed they had no knowledge about the murder and the reasons for the attack on them until the police arrived.

Neighbouring villages were also attacked, Hindus beaten and their shops destroyed. The mob set up roadblocks at several places such as Natunhat, Priyor More (Joynagar ps), Bhangankhali, Hospital More (Basanti ps).

View full picture gallery here.

Hundreds of Hindu families rendered homeless in area of South 24 Pgs district. Hindus have taken shelter at the Baikunthpur primary school under police protection. Date – 19 Feb. 2013

According to the Census 2001, the district-wise population of Muslims in West Bengal is Murshidabad (63.67 per cent); Malda(49.72 per cent); North Dinajpur (47.36 per cent); Birbhum (35.08 per cent); South 24 Parganas (33.34 per cent); Nadia (25.41 per cent); Howrah(24.44 per cent); Cooch Behar (24.24 per cent); North 24 Parganas(24.22 per cent); South Dinajpur (24.01 per cent); Kolkata (20.27 per cent);Bardhaman (19.78 per cent); Hooghly (15.14 per cent); Midnapore(11.32 per cent); Jalpaiguri (10.78 per cent); Bankura (7.51 per cent); Purulia(7.12 per cent) and Darjeeling (5.31 per cent).

Read full article at Source:  Niti Central

Non-Muslims in Afghanistan face extreme discrimination and lack human rights

(CHAKRA) The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) voiced serious concern today over the worsening plight of Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan, imploring the Afghan government to address the deteriorating religious freedom conditions in the country.

The most recent media reports from Afghanistan indicate that Hindus and Sikhs are being forcibly denied the right to cremate their dead. In one particular incident, Muslim residents in the Qalacha neighborhood of Kabul in conjunction with Afghan security personnel used force to prevent Hindus and Sikhs from performing cremation ceremonies for their deceased relatives.

“Cremation is an essential funeral rite for both Hindus and Sikhs and integral to the practice of their respective religious traditions,” said Samir Kalra, Esq., HAF’s Director and Senior Fellow for Human Rights. “The government’s failure to uphold their basic rights is in direct violation of both the Afghan Constitution and international human rights law.”

Human rights groups assert that this latest episode was not isolated, but rather part of a larger pattern of discrimination against the Afghan Hindu and Sikh minority. As the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) notes, Hindus and Sikhs routinely face obstacles in cremating their dead, including the forcible occupation of crematoriums, physical interference with cremations, and the inability to obtain land for cremation sites.

The establishment of a democratic government and a new constitution in recent years has done little to protect the religious rights of the Hindu community in Afghanistan, which according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), continues to face widespread harassment, violence, and legal inequalities.

The situation for countless Afghan Hindu and Sikh refugees living outside of Afghanistan remains perilous as well, particularly in countries such as Belgium, where their legal status remains unresolved. Over the past several months, for example, the Belgian government has denied the asylum applications of many Afghan Hindus and Sikhs, with numerous claims still pending.

The European Court of Human Rights recently accused Belgian authorities of failing to adequately investigate the asylum claims of Afghan Hindus and Sikhs, leading HAF to take up the issue with the Belgian Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons.

“Considering the extent of persecution endured by religious minorities in Afghanistan and the Afghan government’s inability to protect them, Afghan Hindus and Sikhs in Belgium clearly meet the criteria for refugee status under the Geneva Convention,” said Jay Kansara, HAF’s Associate Director. “Failing to recognize their legitimate asylum claims and deporting them back to Afghanistan would be unconscionable and result in disastrous consequences for these communities.”

Victims of Kashmir – The Hindu Pandits

By Francois Gautier

(CHAKRA Blogs) I have fought for the Kashmir Pandits ever since I covered Kashmir in the nineties and saw them flee helpless and terrified. In 2005, I received the Natchiketa Award of Excellence in Journalism at the hand of the PM in Lok Sabha and with the prize money, I started a Foundation FACT (Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism) and my first exhibition was on the plight of the KP. You can see information and pictures on it here.

HH Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was so touched by it, that He took it all over the world with Him. We showed it to the Polish Parliament, the Israeli parliament, the Scottish Parliament, in the Commonwealth Club in London and even to the US Congress in Washington, which led to a Resolution on the plight of the Kashmir Pandits.

But I have to tell you something, Hindus are still a huge majority in India, but it’s like a lion who thinks he is a mouse and does not know its strength. It’s pretty pathetic that out of 400.000 Hindus, (there were a million of them in the Valley of Kashmir in 1900), not a single one put up a fight and fired a shot in defense, when their brothers were killed, their wires raped, their children burnt in the Valley of Kashmir. Hindus pride themselves in their peace loving way. I really appreciate it myself, India a land of peace, where all the persecuted minorities of the world have found refuge, including lately the Tibetans. But isn’t it cowardice sometimes? The Gita tells us in the words of Lord Krishna that when your way of life is threatened, when Untruth is about to overcome Truth, when your borders are threatened, your wives raped, you children killed, it is rightful and dharmic to fight, by force if necessary.

Sri Aurobindo came to remind everybody that it was all right to throw out the British manu militari, to the point that his brother Barin, manufactured bombs in the basement of Sri Aurobindo’s house, but his voice was not heard. Today, Buddhism, Gandhism and Leftist intellectual thought have weakened India and She seems sometimes ready to let go of huge chunks of Her territory, whether the Valley of Kashmir, Assam to the Bangladeshis, Arunachal to the Chinese, without a fight. Wake-up O children of Bharat! Kashmir is a very ancient and sacred place not only for Hindus, but also for Buddhists.

Raksha Bandhan (Rakhi)

By Sucheta Rustgi

(CHAKRA) Raksha bandhan has been celebrated over generations with sisters tying rakhis-a symbolic string-around the wrist of their brothers. The significance of the string is to maintain a strong relationship or ‘bandhan’ between the siblings where a sister ties a string on her brother’s wrist to give him her blessings and love while a brother accepts the string and promises lifelong care of his sister. Over the years the exchange has become one in which a sister ties a rakhi on her brother’s wrist and feeds him sweets on the occasion after which he grants her with a gift whether it be money a saree or anything else.

Such a tradition was relevant and necessary in the past when arranged marriages were a norm and way of life for many young teenaged girls who were married off very early in their lives. Young girls essentially met their husbands-to-be for a brief tea with their family, the decision was made with a discussion between parents, and a date was set for the marriage. That was it. The girl, now suddenly a woman would be married off in a few days and living with a complete stranger.

As a result, it was very important for a brother to give his promise and share a strong relationship with his sister so that if something were to go wrong with the marriage as an example, the brother would be there to help. Such a tradition helped to maintain an unbreakable connection between a brother and a sister. Also, it was a widely accepted and promoted occasion, which created a social obligation in the eyes of society making the ritual more ingrained into society.

It is evident why such an occasion was almost enforced in the past and continues to be a tradition many follow once a year as it has been passed down through the generations. Many people raise the question of how relevant the tradition is in our modern day society where brothers and sisters grow up together but now choose their future husbands and wives to be for the most part in North America. Is a brother even needed for protection in a society where both men and women have emerged to be almost equally independent? Should he be responsible for the care of his sister should something go wrong? Another question is, with how much sincerity is the tradition practiced? Is it done just for a ‘show and tell’ or ‘follow the other’ purpose or does it truly hold meaning for the participants?

Although such questions come up occasionally in regards to Rakshabandhan’s yearly ritual, it is important to note that no such tradition or special day exists for the relationship of a brother and sister in the west. There is a Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Family Day but not sibling day. As it is evident, the relationship between siblings is not as highly regarded, as is the relationship between a mother/father and child. Children grow up spending time with their siblings more than anyone else in their early years up until they leave their homes to live on their own. Why should these years spent together not be celebrated or strengthened while together and even after they separate? Although it is clear that a sister may not need as much help from her brother as was the case in the past, there is no harm in maintaining such a relationship as there is good in the act itself, no matter how it is maintained.

Historically the string or ‘rakhi’ held a lot of real life and symbolic value. Nowadays, although the real life obligation is not required from a brother, having such a mindset and holding high regard to a brother-sister relationship will only help to maintain ties between family members. These ties could otherwise go astray over the years after being apart for a long period. Such a tradition gives one more reason for siblings to meet, enjoy and reminisce about a unique past they shared together that no one else would understand as they do. While the relationship is maintained through the celebration of Rakshabandhan, the symbolic value of a brother-sister relationship will also stay true within the hearts of men and women who were once boys and girls.

Hindu kids need to be taught traditions and values from their Parents before being able to explore it on their own

By Sucheta Patel

(CHAKRA) Hinduism is an philosophical and spiritual religion. The spiritual and scriptural learning’s  are endless when it comes to Hinduism. The creators of the religion have put so much thought into every small philosophical aspect, that learning and understanding the religion is a very complex process.

This could be a part of the reason for why most who practice Hinduism do not know much about the religion or even what they are participating in. Growing up, I was a proud Hindu by name. If anyone asked what my religion was, I would state with pride, I was a Hindu yet where did that pride stem from? I was not aware of even the smallest aspects of Hinduism. I took part in rituals consistently but had no idea why I was taking part in them. My parents held pooja’s and made sure my siblings and I were blessed by pundits at any religious pooja so that we would be showered with good luck and live long success-filled lives.

The question is, as opposed to other religions, why are the Hindu youth not made aware of their religion and what they are practicing before or while the practice? Muslim children went to “Kuran school”, Christian children went to church on Sunday’s to learn about Jesus and all that he has to offer. Yet all the Hindu friends I had were in the same boat as myself. Not one could explain what Hinduism was all about and easily brushed off any questions that were thrown at them about their religion, in fear that they would be made fun of for practicing idolism or for praying to idols with 10 arms.

The lack of teaching of Hinduism to the youth not only kept them uninterested from the religion and all the truths it has to offer but also made them fear the arousal of Hinduism in a discussion due to their lack of confidence when discussing the religion. I remember fearing that someone would ask me a question and I would have no idea what to say, yet I had no place to turn to and get answers for such questions.

Why do parents fail to teach their children what they are practicing? Is it because they themselves do not know the right answer? Is it because there is no correct answer since Hinduism is a way of life and can be shaped and understood through many different perspectives?

The complexity of the religion is what is the main cause for individuals luring away from Hinduism. Moreover, generations and generations of Hindu’s have been practicing the religion just for the mere fact that it has been a tradition in their households. The core knowledge of the religion has not been passed down from one generation to the other and is deeply hurting the religion’s survival. Rather, the results of praying and following traditions have been passed down such as great success in careers, long lives and great wealth. These have become the motives for praying rather than for praying with sincere belief and faith.

As more and more Hindu’s are becoming educated over generations, when they realize they know nothing about a religion they grew up in, logically speaking they drop the religion and turn to Atheism or Agnosticism or another religion which has a community to share knowledge and understanding with about the religion. It makes complete sense to be a non-believer or not care about a religion you know nothing about. It is better to let go of something rather than follow it blindly.

Blind faith leading to a realization of it and then a distancing from it is what is naturally happening. This is the problem. There should be no such thing as blind faith to begin with. If parents and elders teach children what they are practicing then the children will be better equipped to make a fair decision of whether they agree with the philosophies and teachings they are learning. If we just name our faith as blind and drop it, we lose the opportunity to learn about a religion that has so much to offer. It is better to taste something before throwing it away rather than throwing it away with no taste of it.

There are a few helpful online resources to help Parents teach their kids the basics of Hindu traditions, stories and prayers such as hindukids.org .

Pakistani Hindu refugees living on the street in Delhi

(CHAKRA) “We won’t go back. Even if you shoot us we won’t go back,” cried out an elderly Pakistani Hindu woman living in the Dera Dhuni Baba refugee camp in the Indian capital of New Delhi. Her tragic story, along with those of 150 other Hindus from Pakistan’s Sindh province, was recently captured by Indian filmmaker, Rahul Riji Nair, in his new critically acclaimed documentary, The Human Boundaries.

The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) announced plans today for an exclusive nationwide film tour with Nair, whose film was inspired by Hindu spiritual leader and Art of Living Founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The documentary is scheduled to be showcased at several community events throughout the U.S. from July 12 – August 5, 2012, and will include stops in New York City, Boston, Atlanta, Houston, Chicago, Detroit, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Nair’s film will also be screened on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., in collaboration with the Office of Congressman Robert Dold (R-IL). A working film tour schedule can be seen here.

“I want to thank the Hindu American Foundation for inviting me to the United States to discuss The Human Boundaries with audiences across the country,” said Nair. “The purpose of this film is to portray the traumatic daily events plaguing a population caught in a geo-political conundrum that is discriminated against purely on religious grounds. They are left virtually without a state that is capable of protecting their basic human liberties. It is my sincere hope that the American public will better understand their suffering after seeing the documentary.”

Systematic violence, rampant discrimination, and widespread restrictions on religious freedom have led thousands of Pakistani Hindus to seek refuge in India in recent years. The Indian government, however, has failed to recognize the majority of them as refugees or grant them asylum. Last month, HAF urged the Indian government to provide formal legal status to Pakistani Hindu refugees, who remain at risk of being deported. The Foundation also wrote directly to the United Nations High Commissioner on Refugees on World Refugee Day to address the plight of these Pakistani Hindus.

Throughout the film, several of the refugees detailed the routine persecution and discrimination they faced in Pakistan, and made emotional appeals to stay in India. HAF also documents the atrocities against Hindus and other minorities in Pakistan in its annual human rights report.

You can view the Human Boundaries documentary trailer here:

Hindu Deity - Krishna

(CHAKRA) Hindus have strongly objected to Hindu deities being reportedly referred to as “false idols” on the opening day of the General Assembly of Church of Scotland on May 19 in Edinburgh (United Kingdom).

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that about one billion Hindus worldwide worshipped their deities almost on a daily basis and labeling them as “false” was highly hurting their feelings.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, asked apology from Church of Scotland for this inappropriate language as these deities were highly revered in Hinduism. Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Zed stated.

Rajan Zed stressed that all religions should work together for a just and peaceful world. Dialogue would bring us mutual enrichment, Zed added.

What happened to the Church of Scotland’s friendly hand for interfaith dialogue towards various religious traditions, Zed asked. Last year Church reportedly affirmed its “Inter-Faith Agenda”, when to a questionnaire sent on inter-faith issues, resounding 85% answered that they felt inter-faith was an important area for the Church to be involved into today. Church website says: “The landscape of our country is no longer solely dominated with the steeples and crosses of Christians Churches, but is peppered by the arches and domes of temples, synagogues, gurdwaras and mosques…we are having to adopt practical ways of encountering people from other faith backgrounds, whether neighbours, shop keepers, co-workers, relatives or friends.”

This “false idols” reference was reportedly made while discussing allowing of use of hall of Queen’s Cross Parish (QCP) Church in Aberdeen, a Church of Scotland parish, by Hindu community. General Assembly continues till May 25.

A registered charity, Aberdeen Hindu Association (AHA), whose objectives include “promotion of religious harmony”, conducts three-hour pooja first and third Sunday of the month besides discourses and satsangs at QCP Church where Reverend Scott M. Rennie is the Minister and whose website says that its facilities are available for hire. Dr. Balasubramaniam Vijayan, Dr. Pradeep Kumar and Dr. Senthil Ragupathy are President, Secretary and Treasurer respectively of AHA; which was launched in 2010 and whose “ultimate goal” is “to have a place of worship (temple) for ourselves in the Northeast of Scotland”.

As is apparent from pictures posted on AHA website, during fortnightly pooja, statues and pictures of Hindu deities are placed inside the hall; with fruits, flowers, leaves, incense sticks and other pooja material placed before the images of deities, giving it the appearance of a sanctuary. Many of the devotees attend the pooja in traditional Indian dresses and scriptures are also brought in. Central to the Church of Scotland, majority church in Scotland, is “worship of God through following the teachings and examples of Jesus Christ”.

Hindu temples in Scotland include Edinburgh Hindu Mandir & Cultural Centre (EHMCC) in Leith, Hindu Temple of Scotland (HTOS) in Rutherglen, ISKCON Karuna Bhavan in Lesmahagow, Tayside Hindu Cultural and Community Centre in Dundee and Hindu Mandir Glasgow. EHMCC was reportedly a Presbyterian Church before it was acquired in 1986. Former Wardlawhill Church in Rutherglen, affiliated to Church of Scotland, was reportedly renovated and refurbished and converted into what is HTOS now.

Around 400 CE, St Ninian began the first large-scale Christian mission to Scotland, and now Church of Scotland, which calls itself “Reformed and Presbyterian”, has over 500,000 members and around 1,200 ministers. Headquartered in Edinburgh, Right Reverend Albert Bogle is the new Moderator, while Reverend John Chalmers is the Principal Clerk. Moksh (liberation) is the ultimate goal of Hinduism.