Jain community protests Gujarat court’s order

EMN Dimapur, August 24 More than thousand Jains from both Digambar and Swetambar sects of Dimapur gathered together on Monday, August 24 at the Sri Digambar Jain Temple in the commercial city to raise a voice of protest against the Rajasthan High Court’s declaring ‘Sallekhna’ or ‘Santhara’, a meditative penance at the ‘terminal stage by pious monks for salvation’ as an illegal act. The Jain community issued a press release on Monday informing about the protest. “In their discourses, both of them explained the difference between suicide and sallekhana. This was held after chanting of 90 minutes of Namokaar Mahamantra. On the day, each and every Jain establishments was kept closed while all Jains refrained from their respective businesses, schools, colleges, services etc,” the community statement said. “Nationally, Jains are protesting the Rajasthan High Court Order which has declared Sallekhna/ Santhara ( Meditative penance at the terminal stage by the pious souls / monks for salvation) as an illegal act,” the press release said. Calling the court’s declaration “an attack on million years old traditions of Jainism, considered the oldest way of life, now termed as minority religion. “Lord Bahaubali stands tall for past many centuries as 58 feet statue in Sravan Belgola, Karnataka which speaks volumes about Jains who meditated for years altogether for salvation without having food or water. More than a crore Jains have refrained from their businesses or attending schools, colleges, services etc across the world,” the statement said. According to the community, more than 30 lakh Jains came out on the roads on August 24 to protest the court’s order. “Unfortunately, Indian TV channels are not covering it till now. More than 10,000 Jains have shaved their heads in protest, more than 6000 in Lalitpur alone. Pray the Government of the day wakes up before the silent peaceful protest of the Jains takes other forms,” it added.