So-called humanity

Why Mumbai Is Banning Meat This Weekend -

Can the government dictate what its citizens eat? For a few days in September in some parts of India, it can.

During one of the main festivals celebrated by India’s Jain community that starts Friday and concludes on September 27, in the financial capital Mumbai and the western Indian state of Rajasthan, the slaughter and sale of meat will be banned on certain days.

Followers of the Jain religion observe a fast and pray for forgiveness during the annual Paryushan festival.

This year, it is celebrated between September 11 and September 19 by Jains belonging to the Swetambar sect and between September 18 and September 27 by the Digambar sect, according to Dinesh Jain, caretaker of Parshavnath Digambar Jain temple on the outskirts of Delhi.

Jains, who constitute 0.37% of India’s population, are often strict vegetarians and leather products are prohibited in their places of worship. Some Jains wear masks when outside to avoid inhaling bugs and sweep the ground in front of them to keep from stepping on living creatures.

“This festival is for the purification of human soul through forgiveness and non-violence that are at the core of our religion,” said Mr. Jain.

Earlier this week, out of respect for the Jain festival, Mumbai’s city administrators ordered a ban on the sale of meat for four days and in Rajasthan, the state government gave a similar ruling for a three day period.

Some, including the Hindu right-wing Shiv Sena party and the left-of-center Congress party in the western state of Maharashtra, of which Mumbai is the capital, have questioned the ruling, saying it interferes with people’s right to choose what they eat.

This isn’t the first time such a meat moratorium has been implemented, however.

Local authorities in Mumbai, Rajasthan and western Indian state of Gujarat have implemented a meat ban during the Paryushan festival in the past.

In a 2008 judgment, the Supreme Court of India upheld a decision of a local authorities in Gujarat to close slaughterhouses during the festival.

“In a multi-cultural country like ours with such diversity, one should not be over sensitive and over touchy about a short restriction when it is being done out of respect for the sentiments of a particular section of society,” the judgment said.

You should check out this protest- In JHANSI: Around 10,000 people of all ages from Jain community shaved their heads in Uttar Pradesh's Lalitpur as a mark of protest against the recent Rajasthan High Court order banning the religious practice of 'Santhara'. Lalitpur has a predominant Jain population.

The community members termed tonsuring of heads as a peaceful protest against the high court order. An appeal was also made by the community to the traders to close the market on Monday.

Reports said early Saturday morning, several Jain community members of all ages — from five to 80 years — lined up in front of two main Jain temples, Ata Mandir at Ghanta Ghar and Chetrapal temple. A group of 25 barbers present at each temple later shaved their heads.

This exercise of tonsuring of heads continued till late night and will be further carried on Sunday also, said Ajay Jain, a local resident who also got his head shaved.

"This is our peaceful protest against the high court ruling. This is our religious ritual which we have been following since ages and stopping it is an insult to our religion," he told.

President of Digambar Jain Mandir, Lalitpur, Anil Anchal, said, "A total of 10,000 people from the community are getting their heads shaved." He called it "a unique protest with an overwhelming response".

In an order passed on August 10, the Rajasthan High Court declared the Jain practice of 'Santhara' or 'Sallekhana' as illegal and held that any person supporting the practice would be prosecuted for abetment of su***de. This order has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

A person, after taking a vow of Santhara, stops eating and drinking water till death.

Congress leader Pradeep Jain Aditya, who is a former MP from Jhansi-Lalitpur constituency, said: "The HC decision is very sad. This is not a su***de but rather art of living. Su***de is done by those who are dejected by life, but Santhara is practiced by those saints who have taught us how to lead a happy life. It is being practiced since ages."