Modesto Hindu temple promotes health

Maniben Ratanji gets her blood pressure checked while Sushila Gandi awaits the results with her as members of the Hindu community held their first health faire Sunday (01-19-14) afternoon at the Hindu Temple in Modesto. ELIAS FUNEZ — efunez@modbee.com

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/01/19/3449923/hindu-temple-promotes-health.html#storylink=cpy

The Hindu Temple of Modesto held a health fair Sunday that provided basic screening for the area’s Indian and Fijian communities.
People turning out at the Tully Road temple were checked for weight, body mass index, blood pressure, pulse and blood sugar. Those found to have high blood sugar received a glucose meter and other free supplies.
What began as a potluck during Sunday services evolved into a health food contest.
The fair featured a competition for recipes that were easy to make, tasty, high in protein and low in carbohydrates, fat and calories. Each entrant brought a dish large enough for 20 people to taste.
The San Joaquin Valley has a large number of people from India and Fiji, the latter a small Pacific Island that is home to many Indians.

source:mercedsunstar dot com 

Read more here: http://www.mercedsunstar.com/2014/01/19/3449923/hindu-temple-promotes-health.html#storylink=cpy

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​B’desh Hindu leaders demand more protection for minorities

Dhaka: Human rights groups and Hindu leaders in Bangladesh today demanded more security for religious minorities amid reports that members of the community were attacked in several parts of the country during elections.

Activists of main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and its key-ally fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami attacked Hindu households in western Jessore and northwestern Dinajpur, local media reports said.
The Daily Star and several other newspapers said the activists vandalised 130 Hindu houses and torched another 10 in Malopara village as they went to cast votes defying the opposition call for the boycott.
Police, however, said 70 to 80 men attacked the  village but joint forces comprising police and paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh chased them away.
The activists threatened the Hindus of dire consequence for voting, sparking panic and prompting the army “striking forces” intervention.

“We were on election duty. In spite of that we rushed here to protect the villagers,” Maj Rahman last night said, adding that a temporary police camp was installed at the area.

“Some 400 Hindus were forced to flee their homes and take refuge on the other side of the local Bhairab river fearing fresh attacks,” Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddho-Cristian Oikya Parishad vice president Kajal Debnath told PTI.
Other reports said Hindus came under attack also at Pornia area in northwestern Dinajpur overnight where the opposition activists severely assaulted 10 elderly people of the community and vandalised over 10 houses for defying their calls for election boycott.
But army intervened, forcing the activists to flee.

“We demand intensified protection…we don’t want to be traded off politically or used for anybody’s political purpose,” Debnath told PTI in an apparent reference to a perception that the Hindus were traditionally supporters of Awami League, which pursue a policy of secularism.

He added: “Keep me (Hindus) beyond (political) focus, I don’t want to be a victim.”
According to media reports, only a small number of Hindus cast their votes in north-western Lalmonirhat and southwestern Satkhira either fearing attacks by opposition activists.
They said most of the Hindu villagers were annoyed with the government for not taking adequate steps for their protection during earlier such attacks in recent months when the opposition spearheaded anti-government campaigns.
The five persons, missing since January three, were suspected to have been killed due to a land dispute and buried in a freshly dug pit.
courtesy:freepressjournal dot in

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Hindus, Satanists banned from putting up monuments at Oklahoma Capitol

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — After hearing from Satanists, Hindus and an animal rights group, the panel that oversees the grounds at the Oklahoma Capitol says it's not taking any more requests for new displays at the Statehouse.

The Oklahoma Capitol Preservation Commission voted Thursday to approve the ban until a court dispute over the current Ten Commandments monument is settled. It was that monument that the New York-based Satanic Temple said opened the door for it to seek its own display at the Statehouse in Oklahoma City.

That was followed by similar requests from a Hindu leader in Nevada, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, and the satirical Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster.

"At this time, I believe action by the (commission) on any of these requests would be premature given that the lawsuit has yet to be decided," said Commission Chairman Trait Thompson.

The Republican-controlled Legislature in 2009 authorized the placement of the privately funded Ten Commandments monument at the state Capitol, and former Gov. Brad Henry, a Democrat, signed the bill into law. It was placed on the north steps of the building last year, and the Oklahoma chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has sued to have it removed.

Brady Henderson, legal director for ACLU Oklahoma, said that if state officials allow one type of religious expression, they must allow others as well.

"The best solution is to say: 'Let's just get out of the religious monument business," Henderson said. "This isn't an issue that can be solved with more and more religions or points of view represented."

The Satanic Temple said earlier this month that it would file a formal request with the commission. A spokesman for the group said it's nearly finished with the application and that the moratorium should not be applied retroactively.

"At the state Capitol a monument to the Ten Commandments still stands," spokesman Lucien Greaves said in an email to The Associated Press. "If ... the monument to the Ten Commandments remains, then our case for placing a Satanic monument still holds merit."

A fundraising website dedicated to erecting the satanic monument showed the group had raised nearly $8,000 toward its $20,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon.

Thompson said Thursday's vote won't affect a state senator's plans to erect a privately funded Bill of Rights monument.

"I can't tell the Legislature what to do," Thompson said. "That's completely up to them."

Courtesy:komonews dot com

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House Rejects President’s Decree For Allocating A Seat For Hindu Community

Sunday, December 15, 2013
Kabul (BNA) The House of People while rejecting the decree of President Karzai with respect to allocation of a seat for the Hindu community of Afghanistan, emphasized on the punishment of the perpetrator of violence against a woman in Herat province.
Chaired by Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi speaker of the house of People, the members of the house strongly condemned the violent act against the women and called it against Islamic teachings.
The members of the House touching on cutting of lip and nose of Mrs. Sitara by her husband in Herat and killing of the girl in Baghlan said that non-punishment of the perpetrators of such criminal acts by the judicial organs causes increased violence against women in the country.
The meeting also issued a statement condemning violence against women urging the government and judicial organs to punish the perpetrators of violence against women.
The house of people discussed the decree of President Karzai for allocation of a seat to the Hindu community and rejected it and called it against the Constitution of the country.

Courtesy: bakhtarnews dot com dot af

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Hindus urge Urban Outfitters to withdraw Lord Ganesh socks

Saturday, 14 December 2013, 12:33 pm
Press Release: Rajan Zed
Perturbed Hindus urge Urban Outfitters to withdraw Lord Ganesh socks
Upset Hindus have urged for the immediate recalling of socks carrying image of Lord Ganesh sold by a Philadelphia (USA) headquartered firm Urban Outfitters, Inc., calling it inappropriate.
Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Lord Ganesh was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to be wrapped around one’s foot. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.
Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged Richard A. Hayne and Tedford Marlow; President of Urban Outfitters, Inc., and Chief Executive Officer of Urban Outfitters Group respectively; to offer an apology.
Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should not be taken lightly. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed argued.
Zed further said that such trivialization of Lord Ganesh was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.
Sock which Hindu devotees are finding objectionable is a crew-length cotton sock topped with a Lord Ganesh graphic at the trim, which sells at $8 on website. Urban Outfitters website describes it as “Awesome” and “UO Exclusive”.

Urban Outfitters, Inc. is a retail company which offers a variety of lifestyle merchandise in Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and BHLDN brands through stores in USA, Canada, and Europe; besides garden center, catalogs, websites and wholesale. It boasts of its “established ability to understand our customers and connect with them on an emotional level” and calls its brands “both compelling and distinct”.
In Hinduism, Lord Ganesh is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking.

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Amnesty fears attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh after execution

Execution of a top leader of the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami for war crimes in Bangladesh could lead to reprisal attacks on minority communities, especially Hindus, a leading human rights watchdog has warned.
Bangladesh executed Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah, infamous as the "Butcher of Mirpur", for 1971 war crimes last night, making him the first politician to be hanged for such crimes. "At this volatile time many people including minority Hindus are at risk of reprisal attacks....they are at particular risk of violence now the execution has been carried out," said Abbas Faiz, Amnesty International's Bangladesh Researcher.
"Authorities must ensure that anyone at risk, especially Hindus are given the protection they need at this tense time. Whole villages were burned down in the violence against Hindus this year and no one has been brought to justice," he said in a statement.
"It is also crucial that all politicians in Bangladesh make it crystal clear to their supporters to refrain from human rights abuses, and that attacks on Hindu communities are unacceptable," said Faiz.
Jamaat cadres have targeted Hindus over the International Crimes Tribunal trials of the party's leaders relating to the 1971 liberation war. Many of the prosecution witnesses have been Hindus.

Courtesy:dnaindia dot com

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The Frightened Tale of Kauar Char

“I was entering my kitchen at around 10:00 AM. It was November 14 when suddenly around two thousand people broke into our yard, and later on our entire village carrying lethal weapons. Setting acts of arson. They plundered some gold ornaments, a TV, a refrigerator and a wardrobe out of my home. Within minutes my sweet home turned into ashes before my very eyes,” said Champa Rani Halder (age: 34).
It was Champa Rani and some fellow women of her village Kauar Char who were narrating their witness account. The horrendous tale of their plight to us on November 22 morning when a small team of us, a handful of former members of Dhaka University film society, visited the affected area. We caught up with them just after a communal harmony meeting (Sampriti Samabesh) was over in the panic stricken village. District Commissioner (DC) of Barisal, local Union Parisad Chairman from the present ruling party, Thana Nirbahi Officer (TNO), locally Elected MP from Awami League, members of Maha Nagar Puja Committee and members of Anubhab Samabay Samity (a Hindu community based Cooperative Society) were present in the meeting in presence of the villagers from both the villages: Kauar Char and the nearby village from where the attack came.
The unpleasant incident occurred at Kauar Char is known to all. A young man named Parvez Gazi was murdered on November 14, 2013. It was in the evening when he came to the neighbouring village of Kauar Char. The murder took place in the heat of the moment. Till now Parvez Gazi’s murder is shrouded in mystery. But the problem is the two alleged “killers” who were basically outsiders and had fled the scene while many innocent men, absent on the spot on the day, were arrested with their families harassed
Now who are the real perpetrators behind the fabrication of an ill motivated rumor that ignited mob sentiments to attack their neighbouring village? Some locals have testified on condition of anonymity that the local Union Parisad Chairman of Awami League may be one of the initiators as he could not secure a handsome number of votes from this Hindu village in last general elections. The students of Broja Mohan College of Barisal who pioneered the mob attack are proven cadres of Bangladesh Chattra League (BCL). The deceased Parvez Gazi’s elder brother is a leader of BCL Barisal. One police officer, on the condition of anonymity, informed that the onus of this arson attack and plundering of the Hindu village basically happened due to the callousness and negligence of the concerned administration.
We grieve and mourn the untimely death of Parvez Gazi and demand stern punishment of the killers. But what can justify plundering 16 families of a minority village?
The writer is Communication, Website and List-Serve Manager of Gender and Water Alliance (GWA).
Email: audity.falguni@gmail.com
Courtesy: the daily star dot com

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Criminals smash tombs, Plough land to occupy Hindu Cemetery

A portion of the cemetery, meant for cremation and in some cases burial, of the Hindus in Saidpur municipality under Nilphamari district gets ploughed by land grabbers who also demolished three tombs of the Hindus in the cemetery during the last few days. PHOTO: STAR

Influential land grabbers smashed three memorial tombs to illegally occupy land of the only cemetery of Hindu community in Saidpur municipality under the district.
The 1.29-acre land comprising plot No 21 at Kundol mouja under Saidpur municipality is a khas land, which is recorded as cemetery of the Hindu community, according to official document of upazila land office.
Visiting the sight on Tuesday morning, it was found that some people were ploughing about 30 decimals of the occupied land of the cemetery in its east to cultivate potato there.
“Since my childhood, I saw bringing of dead Hindus to the cemetery for funeral. But local influential people including Abdus Sattar and Shahjahan engaged day labourers on December 4 to smash and remove old memorial tombs and occupy cemetery land,” said octogenarian Md Amin, a resident of the area.
Nawsad Parvez, owner of Northern Cold Storage beside the cemetery, said,
“Hindus use it for burning dead bodies and spread the ashes in the Khorkhoria River flowing beside. They also buried some dead bodies in the cemetery and built tombs in their memory.”
At the north side of the cemetery, Hindus built a spacious room for keeping dead bodies safely in case of natural calamity. Priests recite holy verses there during the funeral.
During Tuesday’s visit, it was found that iron grills of windows and the door made of heavy iron bars of the room were stolen.
A vested quarter committed the crime to grab the cemetery land, said a few locals.
When contacted, Abdus Sattar, one of the alleged grabbers, said the land which was claimed by Hindus as cemetery land was their paternal property and they inherited it lawfully.
Another alleged grabber Shahjahan Ali said the Hindus’ claim was not right, as they had measured the land with genuine surveyor following land map. He however remained silent when this correspondent asked why they never forbade Hindus in the past to bury dead bodies and make tombs there.
Amit Kumar Roy, general secretary of Saidpur unit of Hindu Kalyan Society (welfare association), said, “Occupation of the cemetery land has hurt the sentiment of local Hindus. We lodged a written complaint to Saidpur UNO regarding the matter on December 8 and also recorded a general diary in local police station. If the local administration fails to ensure justice we will launch an agitation programme.”
Saidpur UNO Shafiqul Islam said, “I along with the officer in charge of Saidpur police station visited the spot on Tuesday afternoon and found the allegation to be true. I directed assistant commissioner (Land) to mark the cemetery area without delay. We have also identified the grabbers and legal action will be taken against them.”

Courtesy: thedailystar dot net

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Hindu group proposes monument at Oklahoma State Capital

• 
  A statue of Hindu Lord Hanuman, such as this one, is being proposed for a state Capitol monument. AP file
  

Just days after the news broke that a Satanic Temple in New York City is seeking to build a monument to Satan on the grounds of the Oklahoma Capitol, a Hindu organization announced this week that it, too, would like to build a monument there, to one of its chief deities.
Rajan Zed, president of Universal Society of Hinduism, emailed his request to the Oklahoma State Capitol Preservation Commission.

Zed, of Nevada, said in a press release that Hindus want to erect a statue of Lord Hanuman, a Hindu deity "who was greatly revered and worshipped and known for incredible strength and was (a) perfect grammarian."

He said the statue would raise awareness of Oklahomans about Hinduism.

Commission Chairman Trait Thompson, who also is a senior policy adviser for Senate Pro Tem Brian Bingman, said he had received the request from Zed and had referred him to the website, which has all the application forms.

"I suppose when one group gets some publicity, everyone else wants to make their point," he said.

Is there any chance a Hindu statue will be built at the Capitol?

"I can't speak for the commission," Thompson said.

"If they follow through and put forth a good application, it will be voted on. It's hard to say. There are a lot of factors."

The commission was formed in 1982 to oversee the preservation and restoration of the Oklahoma State Capitol building, and later, the Governor's Mansion. As controller of the public display of art objects there, it recently oversaw the installation of a Ten Commandments monument at the Capitol.

Hari Musapeta, spokesman for the Hindu Temple of Greater Tulsa, said he had not heard of Zed or the Universal Society of Hinduism.

He said he would "need to learn about the man and the organization," before commenting on the application.

He was familiar, however, with Lord Hanuman, which he described as "a powerful god, the No. 1 Hindu deity after Lord Rama."

He said Tulsa has some 5,000 to 8,000 Hindu families, many of them professional people from India.

Zed declined an interview, and said everything he was prepared to say was in the press release.

According to his website, he is an Indo-American and Hindu statesman who gave the first Hindu opening prayer in the U.S. Senate, was invited by the president of the European Parliament to a meeting in Brussels to discuss Hindu issues, and has delivered prayers at several state legislatures.

Several Oklahoma lawmakers responded negatively to the request by a Satanic Temple to put a monument to Satan at the Capitol. The request apparently was in response to the recent installation of the Ten Commandments monument.

Bill Sherman 918-581-8398

bill.sherman@tulsaworld.com

courtesy:tulsaworld dot com

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