PRINCE Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Bahrain, on Tuesday (31) met a delegation of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha as the administration formally granted a piece of land for the construction of a Hindu temple.
The gift of land was announced in February in a move welcomed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
At Tuesday’s meeting in Manama, BAPS international coordinator and Middle East head Swami Brahmaviharidas delivered Modi’s message to the Crown Prince and conveyed the blessings of the spiritual leader of the global BAPS movement, His Divine Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj.
He thanked the administration for the “historic gift of land” which represented the “warm relations and an exchange of ideas between Bahrain and India”.
He also recalled the moment when the late Emir Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa told HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1997 to “make Bahrain your home.”
Swami Brahmaviharidas with Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa (Photo: BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha)
Swami Brahmaviharidas said, “the building of this BAPS Swaminarayan Temple marks a seminal and historic moment for Hinduism, for relations between India and Bahrain, and international harmony as a whole.”
He assured that the temple and the surrounding cultural and spiritual complex shall strengthen universal understanding and interfaith harmony, and “nurture the children of today and coming generations towards a brighter future”.
The BAPS, a global spiritual Hindu movement, said, “the Swaminarayan temple in Bahrain will represent the timeless values of Hinduism and the vision of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa for an inclusive world that will nurture peace and interfaith harmony.”
Indian Ambassador Piyush Srivastava, Swami Aksharatitdas, BAPS Bahrain president Dr Praful Vaidya and community leaders Ramesh Patidar and Mahesh Devji were also present on the occasion.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)