Mass Harassment From Hindu Nationalists Forces Comedian to Quit

On Saturday, November 27, Vishesh Dhuria, director and founder of Curtain Call, received a letter from the Ashokanagar police office. The police officers of the Ashoknagar in Bangalore city requested Dhuria and his production to cancel Munawar Faruqui’s show.

Indian Police tell Christians to Halt Prayer Meetings to Avoid Attacks

Christian groups in Belagavi City in Karnataka, India, were told by police to avoid meetings and gatherings for prayer until the end of the Winter Session. Belagavi will be hosting the Karnataka legislative session scheduled for December 13 to 24. A controversial anti-conversion bill will be discussed during the session, according to the police.

Rep. Ilhan Omar Demands GOP Leaders Address Anti-Muslim Rhetoric

On Friday, November 26, Minnesota Democratic House Representative Ilhan Omar called for house leaders in both aisles to take action against Colorado Republican House Representative Lauren Boebert. Over the holidays, Rep. Boebert made incendiary statements where she likened Rep. Omar to a suicide bomber.

“Spit Jihad;” the Latest Anti-Muslim Accusation from Hindu-Nationalists

On Monday, November 15, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and several right-wing media shared a seven-second video of what they call “evidence of Thook Jihad.” Hardline right-wing groups in India are using the video and several other similar footages to accuse Muslim minorities of attacking Hindus by spitting on their food.

Research Reveals Most Banned Religions

A Pew Research Center annual study identified 41 independent states that imposed different restrictions on religious groups and organizations. According to the study, government restrictions limit religious expressions by targeting an entire faith, social movements, and political organizations with religious ties.

Lawsuit Exposes International Human Trafficking in Hindu Temples

A lawsuit against a Hindu organization based in New Jersey has been amended with more plaintiffs and more respondents spanning five states. The case against Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu organization based in New Jersey, now includes temples in California, Illinois, Texas, and Georgia.

Right-Wing Hindu Groups Bar Muslims From Praying

On Friday, November 5, a gathering of right-wing Hindu groups barred entry to a public ground in the Sector 12 area of Gurugram, a place frequented by Muslims for prayers. Guragram, still popularly referred to as Gurgaon by locals, is a satellite city outside New Delhi, India.

Hardline Jews Protest Against Women’s Group Prayer in the Western Wall

On Friday, November 5, hundreds of ultra-orthodox Haredi Jews converged at the Western Wall. The group was protesting a group of women that held monthly prayers within the Western Wall. For decades, the Neshot Hakotel or the Women of the Wall have been campaigning against ultra-orthodox Jews who oppose changes in the holy site and want to maintain separate areas for men and women.

Texas Judge Favors Religious Businesses over LGBTQ rights

On October 31, US District Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, ruled that businesses that hold religious beliefs are exempt from LGBTQ discrimination liability. O’Connor held that Braidwood Management Inc. is exempted from the LGBTQ anti-bias protections under the first amendment and Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn Fires Teacher For Being Gay

On October 13, Wednesday, the Diocese of Brooklyn fired Matthew LaBanca, the music director of the Corpus Christi Church parish in Queens, New York. A statement released by the diocese said that LaBanca did not comply with church teachings as a requirement for being a minister.