Latest Hinduism News
Once a fringe Indian ideology, Hindu nationalism is now mainstream, thanks to Modi's decade in power
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Hindu nationalism, once a fringe ideology in India, is now mainstream. Nobody has done more to advance this cause than Prime Minister Narendra Modi, one of India’s most beloved and polarizing political leaders. And no entity has had more influence on his...
AP PHOTOS: What's on the voters’ minds as India heads into a 6-week national election
NEW DELHI (AP) — Raj Sud, 94, has voted in almost every election held in independent India, bearing witness to the eventful journey of a diverse, and now the world’s most populous, democracy over the last 76 years. Nearly 970 million people are eligible to vote in India’s...
In Modi's India, opponents and journalists feel the squeeze ahead of election
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government are increasingly wielding strong-arm tactics to subdue political opponents and critics of the ruling Hindu-nationalist party ahead of the nationwide elections that begin this week. A decade into power, and on...
India's Modi vows to boost social spending, make country into a manufacturing hub ahead of election
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday vowed to boost social spending, develop infrastructure and make India into a global manufacturing hub as companies shift away from China, as he unveiled his Hindu nationalist party’s election strategy. Modi hopes to...
Here's what you need to know about the world's largest democratic election kicking off in India
NEW DELHI (AP) — The world’s largest democratic election could also be one of its most consequential. With a population of over 1.4 billion people and close to 970 million voters, India’s general election pits Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an avowed Hindu nationalist, against...
AP PHOTOS: India celebrates Holi, the Hindu festival of color that marks the reawakening of spring
NEW DELHI (AP) — Millions of Indians celebrated Monday the Hindu Holi festival, dancing to festive music, exchanging food and drink and smearing each other with red, green, blue and pink powder, turning the air into a joyful kaleidoscope of color. Widely known as the Hindu festival...
As India's election nears, some Bollywood films promote Modi politics by embracing Hindu nationalism
NEW DELHI (AP) — The movie trailer begins with an outline of the iconic glasses worn by Mohandas Gandhi, the leader who helped India win independence from the British colonialists in 1947. In the backdrop of a devotional song that Gandhi loved, the outline slowly morphs into what appears like his...
India announces 6-week general elections starting April 19 with Modi's BJP topping surveys
NEW DELHI (AP) — India on Saturday announced its 6-week-long general elections will start on April 19, with most surveys predicting a victory for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party. Voting in the world's largest democracy will stretch...
India's new citizenship law excludes Muslims. Here's what to know
NEW DELHI (AP) — India has implemented a citizenship law that excludes migrants who are Muslims, a minority community whose concerns have heightened under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government. The rules for the law were announced Monday. It establishes a...
AP PHOTOS: Balinese celebrate New Year with firefights, sword-piercing and a sacred Day of Silence
DENPASAR, Indonesia (AP) — Airports closed for 24 hours, the internet was turned off and streets were empty as the predominantly Hindu island of Bali in Muslim-majority Indonesia marked its New Year with an annual Day of Silence as part of six days of extensive rituals. The Day of...
