In a powerful assertion of Sanatan unity and religious rights, thousands of members of the Jain community gathered in Mumbai’s Vile Parle East on April 19 to protest the demolition of a nearly century-old Digambar Jain temple by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The protest was not just a call for justice, but a reaffirmation of Sanatan Dharma’s spiritual resilience, with all Hindus standing firmly in support of the Jain community’s fight for restoration.
Protesters poured in from across Mumbai and neighbouring cities, many dressed in white robes symbolising peace, and wearing black armbands to express mourning and anger over the destruction of the Neminath Jain Chaitalaya, located inside the Neminath Cooperative Housing Society in Vile Parle East.
Notably, Protesters led by Jain leaders, backed by VHP demand suspension of ward officer Vanath Ghadge and immediate temple reconstruction.
Holding banners with slogans like “We are Jain, we will not STOP; we will not GIVE UP”, the crowd marched to the K/East ward office of the BMC, where fiery speeches were made, prayers were chanted, and demands were repeated with unwavering determination. The protest was marked not by noise, but by disciplined silence, intermittent religious chants, and an air of deep spiritual pain.
Among the protestors were elderly devotees, children holding placards, and religious monks from the Digambar Jain sect—many visibly emotional as they recounted the desecration of their sacred space.
The protest saw the presence of top political figures, including Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Minister of Skill Development and a prominent Jain leader, Vile Parle MLA Parag Alavani, MP Varsha Gaikwad, and Ghatkopar MLA Parag Shah. Addressing the crowd, Lodha condemned the demolition and assured, “The temple will be rebuilt on the same spot within ten days. This is not just about a building, it’s about our community’s honour.”
He urged the community to boycott the hotelier who has been accused of influencing the BMC to demolish the temple, and called for the immediate suspension of ward officer Navnath Ghadge, who authorised the move.
What added fuel to the community’s fury were allegations of religious desecration. According to the temple trust, during the demolition, municipal staff climbed onto sacred idols, and threw holy Jain scriptures onto the road. Devotees were allegedly forcibly evicted from the temple premises, even as they pleaded for more time to retrieve religious artefacts.
“This is not just an administrative decision—it’s a cultural and spiritual assault,” said Jamnalal Hapawat, national president of the Digambar Jain Global Mahasabha, who is part of the seven-member committee formed to lead the community’s response.
Although the Bombay High Court has now issued a stay on further demolition, the community claims the BMC acted in haste, ignoring an oral stay order by the civil court and a pending appeal to the High Court.
According to Lalit Gandhi, national president of the All India Jain Minority Federation, “The BMC has not just broken walls; it has broken trust. We demand a full apology, a criminal investigation, and reconstruction of the temple at the BMC’s expense.”
The Vishwa Jain Sangathan, a Delhi-based national organisation, warned that if the government fails to act, it could face nationwide protests from the Jain community, known for its peaceful values but unshakeable spiritual convictions.
The temple, operational since 1935, is not a grand marble edifice but a humble chaitalaya—a house temple cherished by local Jains. Though BMC claims it stood on land reserved as a Recreational Ground (RG) and had received multiple notices over the years, the temple trust insists it had applied for regularisation and the structure predates the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966.
The current crisis was triggered, the community alleges, after a local builder and hotelier sought to use the land for a commercial venture, and influenced the housing society to push for its demolition.
The Jain community has announced another massive rally in the coming week, and its legal team is preparing for multi-level litigation. The temple trustees, community leaders, monks, and legal experts are expected to meet Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis and Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal with a formal memorandum listing the following demands:
- Reconstruction of the temple on the same site
- Suspension and criminal investigation against BMC officials involved
- Public apology by the BMC
- Protection of other temples facing similar risks
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