Religious Blockbusters of 2017 : Religious Review of 2017
India, a vibrant country of different hue and colours, has always its own set of religious happenings that have huge impact on the people. Religion World looks at Top 10 Religious Happenings that have impacted the lives of people and made the world look at us. Here are few of the Religious “biggest blockbusters” of 2017:
1. Yogi Adityanath as CM of Uttar Pradesh
March 19, Yogi Adityanath became the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. His taking over the government has marked the full-fledged advent of Hindutva ideology coming to fore and rule a state. Although there are BJP ruled states in the country, Yogi is much different and is clear on spreading Hindutva agenda. Even as he’s cracking the whip to push his babus, Yogi has been quietly but firmly pursuing the BJP’s Hindutva agenda. The state’s inaugural budget, passed by the UP assembly in July, allocated over Rs 2,000 crore to develop Hindu religious centres such as Ayodhya, Mathura, Chitrakoot and Varanasi.
2. Dera Baba in Jail
In the August 25 Panchkula violence, as many as 36 persons were killed and over 200 injured after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted by a special CBI court for the rape of two sadhvis. The Hafed Chowk in Sector 5 was the epic centre of violence. After the violence, the police till date have arrested around 1,200 persons, including Dera chief’s adopted daughter Honeypreet Insan, whereas Dera’s top functionary Aditya Insan is still at large. The police have filed a charge sheet in the case.
3. Rally for Rivers by Sadhguru
India’s rivers are drying up and much of its valuable fertile land risks turning into desert. Isha Foundation head Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev came up with a novel programme called Rally for Rivers which tries to bring people together to protect land and water. The Rally for Rivers was mainly to bring a policy which has a gestation period of 15 to 25 years. Sadhguru traveled across the country on his posh car to bring awareness about protecting our rivers. Though a much hyped event, it was not taken seriously by people and ended up as another publicity gimmick by the Sadhguru. Moreover Isha Foundation is facing double trouble as the Madras High Court and the Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) have ordered notices on two separate pleas against the foundation. The issue before the High Court pertains to a public interest litigation (PIL) petition moved by Velliangiri Hill Tribal Protection Society seeking to demolish unauthorised construction of one-lakh-sqft structure the foundation was building on a wet land, that too above a canal.
4. Love Jihad
In the name of religion, the extreme psychopaths have restored by killing of people and terming it as Love Jihad. These incidents were reported across India, from Rajasthan to Kerala, there were cases reported. The insulting part is that many have taken old revenge on people in the name of religion. The Love Jihad issue has gone to extreme levels: Shambunath Raigar was filmed burning a Muslim man alive in Rajasthan’s Rajsamand district. In another video, he said he killed the man to save a girl from “love jihad.”
Hadiya had married Jahan on December 19, 2016. Her father, however approached the court alleging forceful conversion and that the marriage was an attempt to make her a part of the Islamic state. While Kerala High Court has annulled the marriage, Jahan approached the Supreme Court challenging the HC verdict.
5. Cow Vigilantism
Cow vigilantism is commonly used in India to describe the current lawlessness happening under the rubric of Cow protection. It bestows a measure of social, moral and legal legitimacy to the so-called Cow protectors. More tragically, and to a large degree, it hides their criminality: It conceals the truth of men killing other men in the name of the Cow. Cow vigilantism as an expression has sadly become a convenient cloak for violence, brutality, murder and mayhem in the name of the Cow. The convenient robe of words Cow vigilantism and Cow vigilantes deceptively and quite ironically elevates murderers of men to the pedestal of protectors of Cows. Even the RSS chief recently acknowledged that the illegal and violent acts of the ‘vigilantes’ in the name of the Cow actually defile her. The truth is that in this immense profaning of the sacred underway in the violence in India, India is rendered a human abattoir – a slaughterhouse of men and women to save Cows from slaughter.
Related Read : Cow : Venerated and Vulnerable
6.Sri Sri Ravishankar in Ayodhya
Art of living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in August month said that an out-of-court settlement would be the best solution to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute in Ayodhya and that he would talk to all stakeholders in this regard. What one can achieve through friendship can never be done through conflicts, the spiritual leader.
Sri Sri said that the only solution to the Babri dispute was to construct a grand temple with the cooperation of both Hindus and Muslims. Shankar has offered to explore ways for an out-of-court settlement between the parties locked in the dispute over the land on which Babri Masjid stood before its demolition in 1992.
After meeting all stakeholders in the matter at Ayodhya he said “After 100 years, one particular community could think justice was not done… same issue could be raised again… If this issue has to be resolved forever, the only solution is that a grand temple is constructed with cooperation of both communities… This dream could be made true. There is generosity, love and bhaichara among people of communities and youths in the country.”
Related Read : Ayodhya Dispute : Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid – History & Timeline
7.Triple Talaq
The controversial bill against triple talaq, which has been avoided by different governments over the years has been taken up and placed for approval by Supreme Court. It was approved and sent for constitutional amendment. In the process the anti-triple talaq bill was introduced in Lok Sabha and has been passed. Now it is up to Rajya Sabha to approve before triple talaq can become a crime in India. The Bill promises at protecting Muslim women from cruel and whimsical divorces and at the same time ensuring that the legislation does not lead to a police witch-hunt targeting men.
Related Read : Women Behind the Landmark Verdict on Triple Talaq
8. Jerusalem controversy
USA President Donald Trump recently announced that the United States recognizes Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, and will begin the lengthy process of moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Although the Israeli government would welcome the acknowledgement, Palestinians and other world leaders say the move would unhinge prospects for a Middle East peace accord. The Arab League and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas warned the United States against recognizing Jerusalem, saying that could spark violence and set back future peace negotiations. Abbas and others urged the White House to drop the proposal. India’s vote is consistent with its historic support for the Palestinian cause going back to before India’s own independence.
New Delhi’s position was most recently articulated by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj when she told the NAM ministerial meeting on Palestine held on the sidelines of the last UNGA in September that India believes “in an early negotiated solution between Israel and Palestine based on mutual recognition and security arrangements.”
Related Read : यरुशलम विवाद में EU ने दिया दखल, ट्रम्प ने किया था इजराइल की राजधानी घोषित
9. Taj mahal or Tejo maya
The country’s most famous monument, the Taj Mahal, is at the center of a bitter controversy stirred up by Hindu nationalists who say the Muslim emperor who built India’s iconic monument was a “traitor.” Controversial lawmaker Sangeet Som thunders that the Muslim King worked for the destruction of all Hindus and that Shah Jahan’s Mogul dynasty was a blot on Indian culture that must be expunged.
Silencing critics on the Taj Mahal issue, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday came out strongly saying no country can move ahead without pride in heritage. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath joined the chorus by rebuffing BJP MLA Sangeet Som, who had started the fire Sunday when he had said the Taj Mahal was a “blot on Indian culture”. Adityanath said the Taj Mahal was Indian in every way as it was built by the blood and sweat of Indian labourers.
Must Read: ताजमहल : तेजो महालय या प्रेम की निशानी : किसने सबसे पहले की तेजो महालय की बात?
10. Lingayat a religion?
The Lingayat community in Karnataka has demanded to accord them an independent religion status or else face a legal battle in the Supreme Court. The community also said that they now have complete historical records to prove their claim that Lingayats were never part of Hindu religion. The Ligayat leaders also called upon all religious heads and other anti-Lingayat campaigners to join the movement by shedding differences. The leaders also warned seers that they would face public anger in future if they continue to oppose the rallies.
Related Read : Lingayatism – An Independent Religion : Dr.N.G.Mahadevappa
A seven-member panel headed by a retired high court judge has been constituted by the Karnataka State Minorities Commission to study the demand for separate religion status made by the Lingayat community in Karnataka. The commission set up the panel on a reference by the Congress government. The demand for separate religion status by Lingayats, who make up 17 percent of the population of Karnataka, has seen massive rallies in several parts of the state since August. The issue is seen as being an important factor in the forthcoming elections in Karnataka.
