Religion News – Weekly Newsletter for March 1-7, 2011

Pranab invokes the gods

NEW DELHI – Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee invoked the gods Monday while presenting the budget for 2011-12, appealing to Indra, the god of rains, and Saraswati, the goddess of learning.

The invocation brought some levity in the packed Lok Sabha, listening attentively to the minister.
This is the sixth such exercise for the 75-year-old veteran …. Read the original article  : here.

Pakistani Hindus seek security for Shivaratri

ISLAMABAD – A Hindu rights group is seeking action against an official in Pakistan’s Punjab province for refusing to provide security for the Shivratri festival next month.

Haroon Dayal, chairman of the All Pakistan Hindu Rights Association, told a television channel Sunday that the community’s repeated requests for security had been turned down.
Dayal demanded …. Read the original article  : Pakistani Hindus seek security for Shivaratri.

Pakistani Hindus not happy with security for Shivaratri

ISLAMABAD – A Hindu rights group has demanded immediate removal of the district coordination officer (DCO) of Chakwal in Pakistan’s Punjab province, after he allegedly refused to provide security for the Shivaratri festival March 2-4.

The chairman of the All Pakistan Hindu Rights Association (APHRA), Haroon Dayal, speaking to CNBC TV Sunday, said: “The …. Source  : Pakistani Hindus not happy with security for Shivaratri.

State not informed on clean chit to Karmapa: Dhumal

SHIMLA – Even as the central government is believed to have given a clean chit to Tibetan religious leader Karmapa on the recovery of unaccounted currency from his monastery, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Tuesday said the state was not informed in this regard.

Replying to a question by Congress member Kaul Singh …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : State not informed on clean chit to Karmapa: Dhumal.

Temples shut down to protest pollution in Yamuna

GOKUL – In an unprecedented display of solidarity with the movement launched by the ascetics and Sri Krishna devotees of the Braj Mandal, temples here were shut down for two hours to protest the pollution in the river Yamuna.

In the evening Monday, thousands of locals, high priests of the Sri Krishna, Baldeo (elder brother … Read more »»».