Hundreds of members of the Jain neighborhood have taken to the streets throughout Maharashtra in current days to protest in opposition to the alleged sale of land value Rs 300 crore owned by the historic Seth Hirachand Nemchand Smarak Belief (SHNT) in Pune to builders.
The Jain riots mark the most recent battle between the neighborhood and its conventional ally, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Celebration, in a collection of unrest all year long, starting from the demolition of outdated temples and a crackdown on pigeon feeding to the court-ordered relocation of temple elephants.
The controversial Pune land deal has heightened tensions between the 2 nations, particularly after allegations have been raised in opposition to Pune’s Bharatiya Janata Celebration MP and union minister Mridhar Mohol over his hyperlinks with non-public builders who purchased belief properties.
What are the brand new conflicts?
The present dispute facilities on a 3.5-acre web site in Pune’s Mannequin Colony owned by SHNT. The belief property features a Jain temple in addition to a boarding facility established in 1958 for college kids from underprivileged areas.
Earlier this 12 months, the Charity Commissioner reportedly authorised a land deal between the belief and Gokhale Constructions. Jain protesters, together with leaders of the monastic neighborhood and alumni of the residential centre, say the land deal violates the belief deed, hides the temple’s existence and undermines the land’s charitable goal.
SHNT is without doubt one of the oldest Jain charity organizations in Pune and is thought for offering inexpensive lodging and selling schooling to economically weaker college students.
For the neighborhood, the belief land sale is claimed to signify a “betrayal of their non secular and philanthropic heritage” and sparked one of many largest Jain-led protests in Maharashtra lately.
The controversy not too long ago took a political flip when Mohol was accused of getting ties to builders. Mohol denied the allegations and guaranteed Jain neighborhood leaders that the matter can be resolved amicably.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis later summoned Mohol to Mumbai for talks. Mohol later met Jain leaders and promised to satisfy their calls for regardless of the continuing protests.
The BJP-led Mahayuti authorities then ordered an inquiry into the established order of the belief land deal and the legality of the sale. Gokhale Constructions introduced final Sunday that it was withdrawing from the deal.
How influential is the Jain neighborhood?
In keeping with the 2011 census, there are roughly 1.4 million Jains in Maharashtra, making up 32% of India’s Jain inhabitants however only one.25% of the state’s inhabitants. This neighborhood has a robust presence in Mumbai (5.4%), Mumbai suburbs (3.7%), and Aurangabad (0.8%).
Though Jains are small in quantity, they’ve nice political and financial affect. There are presently seven Jain MLAs within the state meeting, six from the BJP and one from its allies. This neighborhood has traditionally offered each monetary help and electoral energy to the Bharatiya Janata Celebration, particularly in city constituencies.
Why has this been the 12 months of friction?
The primary level of friction between the neighborhood and the federal government surfaced in April this 12 months, when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Company (BMC) demolished a part of the 100-year-old Digambar Jain temple in Vile Parle, citing unlawful building. The case follows a civil courtroom order refusing to increase interim safety by the temple belief.
On April 19, 1000’s of Jains took out a silent march to the BMC’s Ok East ward workplace in east Andheri to demand accountability. The Maharashtra State Fee for Minorities, led by BJP activist Pyare Khan, known as the demolition “untimely” and known as for higher session with the neighborhood.
One other level of battle was the federal government’s crackdown on Kabtarkhana, a pigeon feeding floor that has religious significance for Jains as an emblem of Jeev Daya (compassion for all life).
On July 3, throughout a session of the Legislative Council, minister and Shiv Sena chief Uday Samant introduced the closure of 51 Kabutarkanas throughout Mumbai, citing public well being considerations. The BMC then took enforcement motion, together with fining people and sealing the Kabtarkhana.
The Bombay Excessive Court docket on July 31 directed the police to file an FIR in opposition to those that have been “illegally” feeding pigeons regardless of the ban. On August 2, all Kabutarkanas, together with Dadar’s iconic Kabutarkana, have been lined with grey tarpaulins, sparking protests from the neighborhood.
In a separate case, a 36-year-old elephant named Mahadevi, who had been stored in captivity for 30 years at a Jain mass in Kolhapur’s Nandani village, was transferred to the Vantara Elephant Sanctuary in Gujarat following a grievance from PETA. The transfer was primarily based on a courtroom order citing well being issues for elephants and sparked widespread protests in Kolhapur. After the Supreme Court docket upheld the relocation, 1000’s of individuals marched within the streets demanding her return, stirring emotional and non secular ties.
How did the BJP react?
Given the rising Jain unrest, the Bharatiya Janata Celebration acted rapidly to comprise the fallout, sending a number of senior leaders and Jain figures to have interaction the demonstrators.
After the destruction of the temple, some leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Celebration took half in demonstrations and solidarity marches. Amid outrage over the ban on feeding pigeons, Fadnavis partially lifted the restrictions and directed the BMC to permit managed feeding of pigeons in Kabutarkana till a complete plan is ready.
The CM additionally sought to reassure the protesters within the Pune land dispute. “This problem is between a personal builder and the Jain neighborhood. We’ve got taken into consideration the emotions of the neighborhood. We’ve got taken a stand and are working in direction of an answer in step with the needs of the Jain neighborhood,” he mentioned.
Whereas the Bharatiya Janata Celebration is eager to stop additional deterioration of relations with the neighborhood, some Jain leaders admit this 12 months has examined their relations.
“The connection between the Bharatiya Janata Celebration and the Jain neighborhood may be very robust and we have now been working with the get together. Nonetheless, it’s no secret that over the previous few months, regardless of a pleasant authorities, the Jains are more and more being compelled to agitate. I do not assume the Bharatiya Janata Celebration is intentionally agitating the neighborhood, however I cannot be too harsh in saying that seeds of resentment are being sown within the minds of the neighborhood in opposition to the ruling regime over the course of occasions,” mentioned a Jain. chief.
Some declare the current flare-up was “coincidental, not political.”
“Up to now few years, no different authorities has carried out a lot for the neighborhood because the Bharatiya Janata Celebration has carried out. The Jain Minority Improvement Finance Company has been arrange within the state for the primary time. Huge areas of land have been leased out to the Jain Worldwide Group for academic functions. The Cow Board has additionally been arrange. It’s incorrect to say that it’s hostile to Muslims. Protests are an integral a part of a democratic system and the federal government is dedicated to addressing the considerations of all communities, together with Jains,” mentioned Sandeep Bhandari, president of the state Bharatiya Janata Celebration’s Jain chapter.
