Sunday, March 14, 2010

Mahavir Jayanthi Celebrations at Bangalore - Injustice to Jains

While the entire world will celebrate Mahavira Jayanthi (Janmakalyanak) on 28th March 2010 with all the gatherings, processions, meetings and functions, the Jains of Bangalore might not be able to do that and might be restricted to having their celebrations only with in the four walls of the temple or their houses. This is because of the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagar Palike (BBMP) elections that is scheduled to be held on the same day. The election conducting body in Karnataka the Election Commision of Karnataka and the BBMP have not taken Mahavir Jayanthi into consideration while declaring the dates for the elections. By this the Jains of Bangalore will be denied their right to vote under Indian constitution as they will be involved in religious celebrations.

At the same time as it is an election day in Bangalore, people will not be allowed to make gatherings, hold meetings and take out processions as per the election code of conduct. This is in denying the religious rights of the Jains on the biggest festival of the community. Mahavir Jayanthi is a declared holiday under the negotiable instruments act both by the Government of Karnataka and Government of India. As per the indian constitution elections cannot be conducted on such days as it will lead to denying the rights of the citizens.


Inspite of all the above facts the Election commission of Karnataka and the BBMP are moving ahead with conducting the elections. If it was a festival day for any other community might be the authorities would have thought twice before announcing the dates of the election and in every possibility they would not have move ahead with conducting the election.

Since Jains are a micro minority and not a deciding factor in the election process we have not been taken into consideration while deciding the dates of the elections.


Adding to this as per the election proceedings there should be a gap of 10 days from the day of withdrawal of nominations and the date of elections. However as per the announced schedule there only a gap of 9 days between the two.

Taking the above points into consideration Jain Yuva Sangathan, All India Swethambar Jain Samaj and other Jain organisations have filed a public interest litigation in the High Court of Karnataka and have the made the Election Commissioner of

Karnataka and Commissioner, BBMP as the respondents. According to the petitioner, their community constitutes 10 per cent of the population of Bengaluru and urged that no election should be conducted on general holidays.

During the Initial hearing a division bench headed by Justice V. Gopala Gowda dismissed the PIL stating that election to the civic body has been pending for almost four years and it is impossible to consider the plea when the SEC’s calendar of events for the polls is in motion. However, the court gave the Samaj the liberty to approach the SEC.

Another petition is pending for hearing and will come for hearing on 15th March 2010 at court hall no. 2 at the High Court of Karnataka. The Jain samaj in hoping to get some positive results.

In the mean time it is the duty of every Jain to rise to the occasion and support the petitioners to fight the case.

Please send in your replies and words of support by replying at the following blog: http://justiceforjains.blogspot.com or by

mail to justiceforjains@gmail.com.

WWW.JAINHERITAGECENTRES.COM has a taken up this initiative to launch the above blog and support the petitioners in their fight for JUSTICE TO THE JAIN COMMUNITY. Special thanks Mr.Rajesh Bhantia, president of Jain Yuva Sanghatan for providing inputs to launch this blog.


Nitin H.P.
WWW.JAINHERITAGECENTRES.COM
Celebrating Jain Heritage…..Globally!
Email: nitinhp@gmail.com, nitin@jainheritagecentres.com
Phone: 91 9880818869

Please Note: This blog is not intended to instigate the religious feelings of any community nor is it against the feelings/sentiments of any community rather it is aimed at helping the Jains in getting justice and support the people fighting out the case.

6 comments:

  1. This will keep happening until we jains are given our rightful, minority status. So sad that Honorable Justice and BBMP did not consider such an important festival for Jains.

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  2. This is absolutely unbelievable. Had it been Eid or any other minority festival, no government would have dared to hold elections on that day. Even if it were a Sikh festival( who hardly have any presence in Karnataka) there still would have been no elections. But Jains are unnecessarily ignored despite their rich cultural heritage in Karnataka. The All India Digambar Jain Mahasabha, the All India Shwetambar Jain Mahasabha, The Jain Shwetambar Terapant Sabha and the Bhattarakhs of all the Jain muths must come together and stop this. The heads of the sabhas and the Bhattarakhs should each write a letter to the C.M. voicing their grievances. And all the Jain temples in Bangalore must take out processions on that day , ban or no ban. The elections must be boycotted.

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  3. the jain yuva sanghathan the apex body which celebrates Bhagwan Mahaveer janamkalyanak mahotsav every year with the involvement of the samast jain samaj had approched the Honorable high court of Karnataka to change the date of elections from 28 to either 29th or 30th, as it clashes with mahaveer jayanti which is on 28th of march. The honorable high court has asked the jain yuva sanghathan that since a semilar petition was filed a few days ago,in which the high court had passed a judgement that the dates of the election cannot be altered by the high court and the court had asked the petitioners to approach the election commision and plead before him. In the petition filed by the Jain Yuva Sanghathan the honorable high court has asked the JYS to go ahead with the celebrations and give a petition to the election commissioner for providing the necessary permission and protection for the mahaveer jayanti celebtrations. kudus to JAIN YUVA SANGHATHAN

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  4. Today is an important day for all the jains of Bangalore as the dark clouds of uncertainty over celebration of Bhagwan Mahaveer Jayanti has cleared. We are cheered up.
    The delegation which met the state election commissioner today apprising of high court direction has got a very positive feedback from him for granting permission in carrying out mahaveer jayanti celebrations. He has directed the commissioner of police to give necessary permission and protection for the smooth conduction of mahaveer jayanti celebrations

    JAI MAHAVEER

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  5. PROUD OF BEING A JAIN--

    I AM PROUD TO BE A JAIN & PART OF OF JAIN YUVA COMMUNITY..MORE PROUDY TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH JAIN YUVA SANGATHAN, A REPUTED ORGANISATION WORKING FOR THE WELFARE OF JAINISM,NON-VIOLENCE & WORLD PEACE..

    I FEEL..WHAT A GREAT WORLD THIS WOULD BE IF PEOPLE WOULD SPEND AS MUCH ENERGY PRACTISHING THEIR RELIGION AS THEY SPEND QUARRELING...WE HAVE TO DO A LOT FOR FOR A BETTER,RICHER,HAPPIER,JOUFUL,MEANINGFUL,PEACEFUL SOCIETY AND INDIA ..LET US KEEP DOING THE GOOD WORK WITH AN ATTITUDE TO SERVE...

    THANKS TO ONE AND ALL SPECIALLY THE OFFICE BEARERS OF JYS AND THEIR COMMITTEE MEMBERS..THANKS TO THE STATE ELECTION COMMISSION,THE STATE GOVERNMENT AND THE ENTIRE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR THEIR EXTENDED SUPPORT.MAHAVEER JAYANTI WILL BE CELEBRATED AS USUAL WITH SUPPORT OF ONE AND ALL AND ALL ARE INVITED WHO HAVE FULL FAITH IN JAINISM AND THE PRINCIPLES OF LORD MAHAVEER..

    JAI KARNATAKA..JAI MAHAVEER...

    Sajjan Raj Mehta..

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  6. Cow slaughter is already banned in all but a few states, yet it continues rampant and unabated in illegal, unlicensed abattoirs all throughout the country, including in the states where it is banned. In fact, according to one estimate, there are approximately 32,000 unlicensed abattoirs in operation in India today. Moreover, countless cows are reportedly transported in gruesome conditions and smuggled across the West Bengal border into Bangladesh to be killed. A total ban on cow slaughter will not have any real effect unless unlicensed abattoirs are also closed and transport is monitored but DEFINITELY IT WILL CURTAIL THE ACTIVITIES TO THE MINIMUM LEVEL AND WE ARE THANKFUL TO THE KARNATAKA GOVERNMENT FOR PASSING THE BILL AFTER THOROUGH DISCUSSION.. As it stands now, most police and government officials turn a blind eye to the thriving illegal slaughter trade BUT NOW WITH THE REQUIRED POWERS IN HAND,THEY WILL BE MORE VIGILANT..


    THE BAN ON COW SLAUGHTER IN KARNATAKA IS A VALID STEP AND NEEDS THE SUPPORT OF ONE AND ALL ABOVE THE PARTY POLITICS..ENTIRE JAIN AND HINDU COMMUNITY IS OBLIGED BY THIS.IF NOT IN INDIA THEN WHAT YOU THINK IT WILL HAPPEN IN BANGLADESH OR PAKISTAN ?

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