TEAM HERALD
MARGAO: Goa Jain Samaj (GJS) leaders and national Jain leaders are furious at the petition against Jain swamy Pranam Sagar Ji. They plan to challenge the order in higher courts. A national Jain leader Dr Kalyan Gangwal stated they were in talks with Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh to intervene and close the matter at once.
The Jains condemned the petitioner Atish Mandrekar and called it an absurd act.
GJS Leader Anil Jholapure met Margao Police Inspector C L Patil on Friday to get a sense of the JMFC’s order against the swamy. He said, “Jain swamys are protected by an order of the Supreme Court. Anyone cannot just stop our Swamiji. With due respect, I feel the judge had to take a little time to understand the matter and then pass the order.”
Dr Kalyan Gangwal, a scholar of Jain history and a national Jain leader, expressed shock and said that the order wouldn’t stand in court. She said, “80 per cent of the Goan population since the 6th century was Jains. The religion has a history of more than 1,000 years. We cannot be stopped from practicing religion. We are in talks with Rajnath Singh to get the order neutralized, as even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met the Swamiji to seek his blessings.”
Swami Pranam Sagar Ji is an official state guest for Chaturmas from July 31 to August 30. Meanwhile, criticism began to pour in from all quarters.
Analiz Mascarenhas, a teacher from Margao said, “It was very vulgar, and it is not common to see a naked man on the streets. There is talk of putting a ban on bikinis on the beach, but what about this? There are children walking on the same roads.”
“There should be rules and guidelines for such public appearances. Do it in front of your devotees, who are okay with it behind closed doors. This was just taking the people for granted. The social media reactions pouring against it was proof that it was highly offensive,” said Zubair Shah, a Navelim restaurateur.
A Fatorda businessman Vinay Naik said, “Everyone remembers this and criticized it, even top political leaders. Surely the former chief minister Digambar Kamat should have known how the people would react. Tomorrow what is stopping anyone from doing the same thing? A case has to be registered.”
Rupa Amonkar, a banker from Cuncolim stated, “What was more disturbing was that they were flanked by politicians, which suggests that the act was okay. It is a sensitive issue given he is a religious leader, but the fact that someone has approached the court is not surprising.”
