After the demolition of a Jain temple in Mumbai's Vile Parle area sparked controversy, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) transferred an assistant municipal commissioner on Saturday (April 19). Members of the Jain community took out a protest march over the issue today. Navnath Ghadge, who was in charge of the K-east ward, has been transferred with immediate effect, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani told media.
A team of K-east ward on April 16 (Wednesday) demolished a Jain temple or 'chaitalaya' located inside Neminath Cooperative Housing Society, claiming it to be an unauthorised structure. A protest march was taken to the ward office today. Paresh Shah of the Maharashtra Gaushala Sangh claimed that more than 20,000 people, including religious leaders and Maharashtra minister Mangal Prasad Lodha, local BJP MLA Parag Alavani and a few other political leaders participated in the march. A delegation of protesters submitted a memorandum of demands and had a two-hour-long meeting with Ghadge, he said.
"The entire Jain community is anguished by the BMC's action," said Shah, demanding that the civic body suspend the officer. The temple was demolished without giving the trustees time to respond, he claimed.
Protestors gathered from Mumbai city and suburbs and raised slogans like “We are Jain, we will not stop, we will not give up.”
Akhilesh Yadav slams BMC over demolition drive
The opposition Congress and Samajwadi Party too slammed the BMC over the demolition.
"This Jain community, which came out in protest against the demolition of Jain temple in Mumbai under the BJP government, is the anger, rage and resentment that has erupted against the oppression of minorities by the BJP governments in the country, the volcano of which was smoldering for a long time," Akhilesh Yadav posted on X.
The Congress Legislature Party leader, Vijay Wadettiwar, also condemned the demolition of the temple.“Jain community is a tolerant and peace-loving community. Yet their old temple was demolished without any notice. This incident is highly condemnable. Why are minority communities being targeted again and again? Does the government not want peace in the society?” he asked.He demanded that strict action be taken immediately against those officers who have taken this wrong action.