Jain Seer Warns of Sallekhana Vow if Jain Development Board is Not Constituted

Hubballi: Jain Monk Acharya Shri Gunadharanandi Maharaj of Navagraha Kshetra has expressed deep anguish over the “phenomenal neglect shown by Siddaramiah government towards Jain minorities”. He in chat with the news crew here on 17 March has warned the government jain monks and leaders will take pledge of ‘Sallekhana’ in front of the Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru if the state government did not constitute a Jain Development Board, He explained the meaning Sallekhana which is fast unto death by refusing water and food..

Acharya Shri Gunadharanandi Maharaj broke down in tears, lamenting that despite repeated appeals, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the state government have not responded to the demands of the Jain community. He announced a Bengaluru Chalo march on March 19 to submit another appeal to the government. He warned that if the government continues to neglect their demands, they would be left with no option but to resort to Sallekhana as a mark of protest.

Members of the Jain community from various towns and villages are expected to gather at Karnataka Jain Association in Shankarpuram, Bengaluru, on March 19 at 9 am to meet Minorities Welfare Minister Zameer Ahmed Khan and submit a final memorandum seeking the fulfilment of their demands.

If the government fails to act immediately, a convention of the Jain community will be held on June 8 in Ainapur, Athani taluk, where the date for undertaking Sallekhana in front of Vidhana Soudha will be announced, he added.

Acharya Shri Gunadharanandi Maharaj also mentioned that former Deputy Chief Minister Laxman Savadi, who had raised the Jain community’s demands during the assembly session, would be felicitated at the convention.

He pointed out that of the seven demands submitted during the Belagavi session, the government had fulfilled only three. Despite visits by several ministers and legislators to the Satyagraha site and their assurances to constitute the Jain Development Board, no action has been taken so far.

There are reports that the government has approved the construction of a separate hostel for Jain students in Belagavi. However, the seer urged the government to establish such hostels in every district.

Expressing discontent over the lack of Jain community representation in the Minority Welfare Department, he said that Manoj Jain, who previously served as the secretary, has now been transferred, leaving the community without any representative in the department.

Acharya Shri Gunadharanandi Maharaj also called upon the Jain community to display placards demanding the establishment of the Jain Development Board during the Mahavir Jayanti procession on April 10. He urged community members to write letters to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, and other ministers, pressing for the immediate formation of the board.

He emphasised his commitment to personally visiting every village to raise awareness about the importance of the board and strengthen the community’s unity.

“How many times should we appeal to the Chief Minister? If a poor community makes a demand, the government should respond compassionately. A chief minister should not be so indifferent,” he remarked.