A week ago there was an uneasy calm in Goa over the Jain monk who embarrassed many Goans by walking nude in public. For others, who know about the Jain religion which was taught in school as part of history, it was nothing new, for the Digambara Jains believe in ultimate renunciation which invokes even giving up minimum linen on the body. Such monks walking nude in public glare is quite common in different parts of India since the time of Mahavira who founded Jainism around 550 BC.
In this context the overreach shown by some people including two politicians one each from the ruling alliance and the opposition to overreact on the episode and seeking action against the monk is inexplicable, and likewise the undue haste on the part of the JMFC seeking FIR to be filed against the revered sage is unfortunate. As long as the Constitution of India bestows upon the citizens the freedom of religion to freely practice, preach, profess and propagate their faith, one can easily seek immunity under the law.
What intrigued many of us was the explanation tried to be given that there is a vast difference between the nudity of the holy man and the actress Sunny Leone, who is exploiting the same to make money. Yet, what is important to bear in mind is that when someone looks at such a person, though he is a saint, the sight is nauseating and loathsome to say the least, which cannot be denied. Regretfully, a person can be booked for obscenity even when s/he is partially clad but not when you seek protection under the dogmas, despite being fully nude.
Such matters devoid of reason are witnessed in every religion under the sun. Without elaborating, the single most factor that is seeking beef ban, or the latest topic of withdrawing eggs from the menu in Anganwadi schools in MP and substituting with milk and harping on vegetarianism smacks religious diktats. The reign of terror unleashed by ISIS in parts of the world has the single agenda of stamping the supremacy of the Islamic faith at any cost. The edicts propagated by Christianity that unless someone is baptized s/he cannot enter the kingdom of heaven are also unacceptable.
Raking up religion and seeking protection under it, even at places like security checks, risking the security of the nation is another sickening issue. In all such matters reason totally fails but people feel it is fine to ignore reason and defend religion at all costs.
