Barack Obama welcomes PM Modi's assurance of equal respect to all faiths

Washington, Feb 21: US President Barack Obama has welcomed the recent remarks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in which he condemned religious based violence and gave an assurance that his government will give equal respect to all religions.

"The President welcomed Prime Minister Modi's February 17 condemnation of religious-based violent acts, and his assurance that his government will give equal respect to all religions," the White House said on its website on Friday in response to an online petition. Launched by the New York-based Sikh for Justice, the online petition had urged Obama before his India trip to raise the issue of "Sikh Genocide" and "Sikhs' Right to Self-determination" during his talks with Modi.

The petition had attracted more than 125,000 signatures. The White House responds to petition in less than a month after it was launched. Thanking those who signed the petition, the White House said during his recent trip to India, the President discussed the importance of religious freedom and tolerance in India on January 27 during his speech at Siri Fort in New Delhi.

"President Obama underscored that India's success depended on the nation not being 'splintered along the lines of religious faith'," it said. "As the President said in his January 27 speech, 'In both our countries, in India and in America, our diversity is our strength'. We are committed to working with India to reaffirm this principle not just within our own countries but around the world," the White House said.

Commending Obama's principal stand on equal status to all religions, SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, said "White House's response to Sikh group's petition is yet another reminder to Modi that India's success depends on giving all religious communities freedom and right to profess, practice and propagate their faith without the fear of persecution". While Obama in his speech in India clearly affirmed the equal status for Christians, Muslims, Sikhs, Jains and Budhists in America, Modi in his February 17 response on religious tolerance failed to address the issue of Article 25(b) which labels 'Sikhs' as 'Hindus', Pannun said.

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Major facelift for Mangaluru's sporting heart: Mangala Stadium set for 2-month closure to upgrade synthetic track

News Network

December 15,2025

Mangaluru, Dec 15: Educational institutions in Mangaluru that rely on the popular Mangala Stadium for their annual sports events are bracing for an inconvenience as the city's key sporting venue is set to close its gates for a significant upgrade. The stadium is expected to be unavailable for approximately two months starting from January 15, 2026.

The closure is necessitated by a proposed overhaul of the stadium's facilities, with a special focus on upgrading the synthetic track. Pradeep Dsouza, Assistant Director of the District of Youth Empowerment and Sports (DYES), Dakshina Kannada, confirmed the development.

"Experts have visited the stadium, conducted a thorough inspection, and have given the go-ahead for a complete makeover," Dsouza stated. "Funds have been allocated for the project, and we are currently awaiting the final green signal from state officials to commence the work. We anticipate that the work will likely begin in the second week of January. Consequently, we have stopped renting out the stadium to colleges and other organizations in preparation for the upgrade."

The timing presents a logistical challenge for colleges, as many schools have already concluded their sports meets.

"Colleges will now be organizing their events and will need to find alternative locations to host their sports meets," Dsouza added. He suggested a few potential venues, including the Dakshina Kannada police ground, University College grounds, Panambur grounds, Swaraj Maidan in Moodbidri, and the Mangalore University sports grounds in Konaje.

However, many institutions note that finding a comparable venue will be difficult. While the DK police ground and University College grounds are closer to the city center, they do not possess the extensive facilities and infrastructure offered by Mangala Stadium.

Dr. P Dayananda Pai - P Satisha Govt First Grade College, Carstreet, is one such institution dependent on the stadium. Principal Jayakar Bhandary expressed hope for a swift completion of the work. "We expect the work to be completed at the earliest. If not, we will be forced to look for other venues to host the sports day for our students," Bhandary said, highlighting the pressing need for the city's main sporting facility.

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