Category: NEWS

Kochi, December 19, 2022: In its effort to promote digital bus travel, Chalo has introduced a Welcome offer for its users during the Christmas season. The new Super Saver Plan is applicable for first time users of the Chalo App and Chalo Card in Kochi and Kottayam. This one-time offer entitles bus users to 10 trips on any route for just ₹50 on all tickets up to ₹15. Chalo is extending this special treat during the festive season to encourage the bus users in Kottayam and Kochi to experience the…

A multi-faith coalition of Christian, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish leaders is urging the nation’s largest coffeehouse chains to immediately stop charging extra for plant-based milk alternatives; calling it “unethical” and “unfair”. Coffeehouse chains like Starbucks, Dunkin’, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Caribou, Dutch Bros, Biggby, Peet’s, Human Bean, PJ’s, etc., roughly charge on an average about 70¢ extra per cup when customer opts for plant-based milk-alternatives made of oat, soy, almond, coconut; in place of milk in their drinks. Senior Episcopal priest in Connecticut Father Thomas W. Blake, Greek-Orthodox clergyman in Nevada Father…

Legislative Council of New South Wales (NSW) in Australia, which is a part of NSW Parliament, has turned down requests to have Hindu opening-prayer in an upcoming session. The President of NSW Legislative Council, on taking Chair each day, reads the prayers, which include Lord’s Prayer, a well-known prayer in Christianity. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who wrote to the Council President Matthew Ryan Mason-Cox requesting that he be scheduled to read opening-prayer in an upcoming session of the Council, and received the denial; feels that it is simply a case…

Both the houses of the Victoria Parliament in Australia, Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly, have turned down requests to have Hindu opening-prayer in an upcoming session. On taking the chair at each sitting, Victoria Legislative Council President and Legislative Assembly Speaker read the Lord’s Prayer, a well-known prayer in Christianity. Lord’s Prayer has been read in the Legislative Council since 1857, and in the Legislative Assembly since 1928, reports suggest. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who wrote to then Legislative Council President and Legislative Assembly Speaker requesting that he be…

The Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has finally confirmed the acceptance of a complaint regarding refusal of Hindu opening-prayer in the Australian Parliament, after rebuffing the issue three times. In an email to distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who spearheaded this issue, AHRC Senior Executive Rachel Holt, wrote that the “Commission confirms acceptance of your complaint(s)”, against Commonwealth of Australia. “Please note that due to a large increase in complaints received and resource constraints, there may be a delay in actioning the complaint(s) of more than 6 months”, she added.…

The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) seems to think that the United Kingdom (UK) Parliament’s denial of Hindu opening-prayer request is outside its current areas of work. Responding to distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, who had raised this issue, “Correspondence Team” of EHRC wrote: “we cannot help with the issue you have raised as it falls outside the areas of work we are currently focusing on”. Despite boasting of “Promoting and upholding equality and human rights ideals and laws” and self-proclaiming “Our job is to help make Britain fairer”,…

Kochi: The Laity Council of the Catholic Bishops of Conference of India will observe December 18 as National Minority Rights Day and organize Minority Rights observance programmes across the country. These programmes will be organized under the auspices of the 14 Regional Councils of the CBCI and various laity organizations, said Chev. Adv V C Sebastian, Secretary, CBCI Laity Council. It was in 1992 that the United Nations declared December 18 as International Minority Rights Day. On the same day seminars and awareness programs will be organized with a view…

Global Organization of People of Indian Origin Edison NJ Chapter (GOPIO-Edison, NJ) hosted the “Diwali & Thanksgiving” celebration at North Branch of Library in Edison, NJ. The event was fully subscribed, and the audience came with family and children to participate. This was the third successful event organized by GOPIO-Edison since it was relaunched in March 2022.  The program started with lightening of lamps by dignitaries including Edison Councilman Ajay Patil, GOPIO Edison Chapter President Pallavi Verma Belwariar and GOPIO Life member Dr. Ramesh Pandey. GOPIO-Edison Team members also joined to light the lamp. The Library Hall was beautifully decorated…