Jains Win Kundalpur Statue Case Against ASI

TOI

 NEW DELHI: In what is being widely perceived as a major win for the Jain community, the Madhya Pradesh high court has permitted a Jain trust to preserve an ancient 15-ft statue of deity Lord Adinath.

Situated in Kundalpur near Damoh in MP, the deity, popularly known as 'Bade Baba', forms part of a group of temples scattered over an area of nearly 200 acres dating back to the 6th-7th century AD and is revered for religious significance.

A bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Sushil Harkauli and Justice Alok Aradhe recently dismissed the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) ownership claim over the deity and the temple and concluded that ownership vested with the state government since the ASI had never staked claim after independence.

The HC also took into account the fact highlighted by former solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam, representing the trust, that historical records showed the temple in question was looked after well and preserved by the community and had never been in possession of the ASI.

He further argued that the temples were not accorded the status of national heritage, on the contrary, it has a religious importance.

The ASI filed a petition in 2006, requesting to stop construction of temple on the Kundalpur temple premises and hand over the idols found during construction work. In its plea, the ASI claimed Lord Adinath's idol and the temple signified archaeological importance and rights should be provided to it for its preservation. It accused the state and the trust of eyeing the area to carry out mining and quarrying activity but failed to substantiate the same.

Rejecting ASI's claim, the HC granted nod to 'Bade Baba Digambar Jain Temple Trust' for construction work provided it obtained permission from the state government within two months.

Claremont Jain Conference Brings Religious Diversity to Bioethical Questions

Saturday, 28 July 2012

The conference seeks to bring the resources of Jainism, of the dharma traditions of India, and of the world's religious and spiritual traditions in general, to bear on the most difficult bioethical questions of our day. Its broad aim is to address such questions as: when does life begin, and when does it end? When is the quality of life so compromised that doctors should cease further interventions? What is informed consent? What constraints should apply to research on human subjects? And how can the sanctity of life be preserved?

Claremont Lincoln University is co-sponsoring the event with its local, national, and international Jain partners (the Jain Center of Southern California, the Federation of Jain Associations in North America, and the International School for Jain Studies), making the conference a rare joining of those who follow the tenets of this ancient tradition in practice, and those who contemplate it through speculative scholastics, at the international level.

In addition to having diversity in religious difference, and bringing Jain practice and scholarship together within the international purview, the conference will also have speakers coming from incredibly varied walks of occupational life; rabbis, independent researchers, authors, a president of a religious network, a talk show producer, a surgeon, a cardiologist, a former scientist, a neurologist, professors, students, and Jain nuns will all constitute the diverse body of this unique conference.

The Bioethics Conference will be the pilot conference for the Jain Studies Program at Claremont Lincoln University-one of a handful of programs on Jainism that exist in the entire US-which opened last fall, at the inauguration ceremony of the newly founded university. The diversity seen along the different lines of the conference manifests the vision of Claremont Lincoln University, which aims to educate its student body in an interdisciplinary, multicultural, and multireligious milieu.

Media Contact:
Lidiya Potapenko
Publicity Coordinator
909.667.6502
lidiya.potapenko@cst.edu

Child Diksha Issue in High Court

Rosy Sequeira, TNN Nov 30, 2011 TOI


MUMBAI: Right to childhood conflicts with right to religion, observed the Bombay High Court on Monday while hearing petitions saying child diksha or renunciation is a practice integral to Jainism.

A division bench of Justice P B Majmudar and Justice Mridula Bhatkar was hearing a petition filed by Ashok Bagricha and others challenging the jurisdiction of the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). In March 2004, a diksha ceremony in which an eight-year-old girl renounced the material world had created a furor among child rights activists. It was brought to the attention of the CWC by Childline, an NGO. In July 2006, the high court had directed the CWC to find whether she had taken diksha voluntarily or had been forced to do so. The CWC reported that the young girl needed care. Her parents challenged the CWC order in the HC, which granted a stay on it.

Bagricha's counsel Srihari Aney said, "The CWC passed the order without considering it is a practice of my religion.''

The judges asked who takes the decision for a child. Aney said it is not a hasty decision. A child sadhvi is brought to stay for two years with a senior who recommends whether she has to be taken into the fold or not. This further goes through a deliberation process before acceptance into the fold, he added.

"The court is concerned only with the legal point and not religious sentiments," said Justice Majmudar. "What if a child is not happy? If he is ill-treated in the mutt?" he asked. Aney said there is not a single such case of ill-treatment.

"They are well-supported by the community,'' he said. Justice Bhatkar said the right to childhood is covered under Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Constitution. "Whether right to childhood will conflict with right to religion (Freedom of Religion, Article 25)? This would include right to laugh, to cry, to play. There is a conflict," said Justice Bhatkar. Aney said the girl is now over 16 and "capable of entering the convent on her own".

The judges were told that the minimum age for diksha is eight. "Can a child also be taken from the maternity house immediately after he is born?'' asked Justice Majmudar. Aney said it is not that child diksha is rampant in the community. .

Aney urged the court to decide the issue once and for all. Adjourning the matter, the judges directed that affidavits be filed by two sects of Jainism, including those by experts on the issue.

Mahavir Ahimsa award to Dr. Sudarshan

Mysore, Apr. 17 (HT&DM)- Padma Shri Dr. H. Sudarshan, Hon. Secretary, Vivekananda Girijana Kalyana Kendra who has also won the Right Livelihood award was conferred the Mahavir Ahimsa award by the Mahavir Seva Samsthan during the Bhagavan Mahavir Jayanti celebrations held at M.L. Vardhamanaiah Memorial Hall on Chadragupta Road in city yesterday.

Kanakagiri Jain Mutt`s Sri Bhuvanakeerthi Bhattaraka Swamiji, who spoke after conferring the award, said Mahatma Gandhiji, who was influenced by Mahavir`s preachings, imbibed his principles and advocated non-violence throughout his life. The followers of Jainism are in the forefront of implementing Mahavir`s messages, he added.

Forest Minister C.H. Vijayashankar who also spoke, observed that Mahaveer`s messages were a model to Jain Community and called upon the people to imbibe Mahaveer`s principles for the survival of mankind.

Digambar Jain Samaj President S.N. Prakash Babu, M.A. Sudhir, Madan Kumar Babu and others were present.

Parkrit Workshop at Bahubali, Kolhapur

A two day state level workshop on Prakrit Literature and Grammar has been arranged at Bahubali, a Jain pilgrimage center in the district of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, on 2nd and 3rd April 2011. This workshop is jointly arranged by Jain Chair, Shivaji University, Anekant Shodhpeeth.and Bahubali Vidyapeeth.

The chief guest at the inauguration is Dr. N. J. Pawar, Vice Chanceller of Shivaji University.

Two books written by Dr. Padmaja Patil will be published in this workshop.

For further details, please contact Dr. Neminath Balikai Shastri, Secretary Anekant Shodhpeet, Bahubali.
Phone: 0230 2584631, 0 942 077 6631

No alcohol, meat served at halls named after saints: MCD

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has decided to strictly enforce the ban on alcohol as well as non-vegetarian delicacies at weddings and functions held in halls named after religious leaders, or are located inside the temple premises.

The first place it will crack down on is the Mahavir Vatika Community Hall, located in Daryaganj, where the ban on meat and drinks is said to be violated openly.

The matter came to light after Mehmud Ziah, the councillor of Baazar Sita Ram near Daryaganj, raised the issue at a meeting last week. He complained that non-vegetarian delicacies and alcohol are served at Mahavir Vatika in Daryaganj, which goes against the teachings of the Jain leader after whom the park is named.

Ziah demanded that the authorities either rename the park or ensure that alcohol and non-vegetarian delicacies are not served.

“The Standing Committee has taken cognizance of the complaint and the guidelines will be changed soon. Whenever someone comes to book the hall, they will have to give in writing that no alcohol and meat will be served,” said Yogender Chandolia, Chairman of the MCD Standing Committee.

If you have more like Ajit Jain, send them over to me: Warren Buffet to India PM

NEW DELHI: Warren Buffett preferred to play second fiddle to his associate Ajit Jain when the duo called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Friday.

"Shareholders in my company have more faith in him than in me. I am just a name," the Oracle from Omaha told the PM. "If you have more like him send them over to me," Buffet said. The 10-minute interaction also brought out Buffet's faith in IITs as centres of excellence. "In 1991, I asked Bill Gates which institution I should recruit from. He suggested IIT, and he was right," he told the Prime Minister.

Buffet who was bullish on economies of India and the US also interacted with a group of MPs. In the hour-long interaction, the investment wizard refrained from proffering any advice on what India should do. He, however, expressed his admiration for the emphasis of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and PM on inclusive growth.

He agreed with Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh that US had turned insular at a time when India and China were looking outward, but said that it was because of the crisis in the US economy. Asked whether financial liberalization was responsible for the economic crisis in the US, Buffet blamed what he called "mass delusion for house ownership". But while he said that another crisis could not be ruled out, the Wizard of Omaha was confident that the American economy would get out of its current woes shortly.
Replying to a question from BJP MP Chandan Mitra about corporate corruption, Buffet said that the USA was built on corporate corruption. But there was a clean up and regulation was brought in, he said. The iconic investment guru, however, stressed that he was not defending corporate corruption, but only suggesting that things needed to be viewed in a perspective.

L C Jain''s family declines Padma Vibhushan

New Delhi, Mar 24 (PTI) The family of noted Gandhian L C Jain has declined to accept the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian honour for which he was chosen posthumously. Jain, known as a fierce opponent of "overwhelming" state control, was selected for the coveted award this year posthumously. Sources said Jain's family members and several NGOs said the late Gandhian was against accepting state honours. Jain, a recipient of the Magsaysay Award, breathed his last on November 14 last year at the age of 85. President Pratibha Patil gave away 61 Padma awards at a function at Rashtrapati Bhawan this evening. Another investiture ceremony is scheduled to be held on April 1 to honour the remaining 66 awardees. This year the President has approved 128 awards.

Andhra Pradesh: Jains Get Minority Status

March 8: The state government declared on Monday that along with Muslims and Christians, Jains too will be considered as religious minorities in the state hereafter.

This means that the Jains will have privileges like running educational institutions etc. for their community. As per the 2001 census, there are around 41,486 Jains in the state out of a total population of 7.6 crore which amounts to around 0.1 per cent.

The minorities welfare department issued the orders on Tuesday declaring the Jain community as a religious minority in the state following a representation from the Shri Bharatvarshiya Digamber Jain (DS) Mahasabha. It was stated in the representation that as per Article 30 of the Indian Constitution, Jains can be declared as a minority based on religion and language. Reacting to this in 2007, the then minority affairs minister, Mr A.R. Antulay, had written to the former CM, Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy, informing him that a religious community, which was less than 0.5 per cent of the population, would definitely fall under the minority category and had to be notified by the state government as a religious minority.

In July, 2010, the minority affairs ministry had confirmed that for the purpose of determining minority, the unit taken into consideration should be the state and not the country.

Jain scholar Vilas Sangave, passes away

By Mohsin Mulla

A veteran scholar in Jain religion, sociologist and historian, Vilas Sangave, 92, died in the wee hours of Tuesday. He was bedridden for several days at his home in Rajrampuri area here.


He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law.

Born on June 2, 1920, in Solapur, Sangave completed his doctorate in sociology in 1950 from the University of Bombay. He served as a professor of sociology in Karnataka College and Rajaram College and was the head of the Shivaji University’s sociology department in 1980.

The veteran Jainologist had done monumental research on the religion and society, apart from research on Rajarshi Shahu Maharaj. He compiled eight out of nine volumes of Shahu Gaurva Granth.

Read More about Vilas Sangave at Famous Jains
http://famousjains.blogspot.com/2011/03/dr-vilas-adinath-sangave.html

Jains oppose inclusion into Hindu endowment act

The Jain community leaders have opposed the government move to include Jains into the Hindu religious endowment act. According to the president of the Karnataka Jaina Association of Bangalore in a press release here today, the jains were not Hindus or Hindu dissenters but they have origin and history long anterior to the smrithis and commentaries which are recognized authorities on Hindu law and usage. It is well known that Sramana and Vedic traditions differed substantially and sharply. Jain tradition is the original and older Sramana tradition. Various Judgements of High Courts and Apex Courts have clearly enunciated that Jains must be recognized as Religious Minority distinct and separate from Hindus.

The release further stated that the Article 25 of the constitution of India recognizes, Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism as separate religions and even the High power committee constituted by the State has observed: “The committee was of the view that mutts, denominational institutions as well as religious institutions of Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs which are separate religion in strict sense of the term and therefore fall into different category or classes and they have the right to have their own Managing Committee, so far as it relates to administration of their properties and regulation of secular matters by legislation, they are similarly situated. Therefore the Committee was of the view that all of them should be brought within the purview of the Act by making special provisions governing them”.

“Our constitution provides equality for all religions. All religions are safe within the State of Karnataka in particular and within the Republic of India in general. Minority rights are universally accepted as an indivisible form and essential to human rights because almost every state or Nation is multi religious, multi lingual and multi cultural,” release said.

Constitution of India confers on every person the freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice and propagate religion and for such freedom necessarily requires liberty of thought expression, belief, faith and worship the release added. The Sraminic trend covers Jains and Buddhists. Jain religion does not accept or rejects scriptural authority of Vedas, Brahmanas and Upanishads.

In a separate press release the swamiji of the Jain Math HH Charukirti Panditacharyavarya Bhattaraka has said “the statement of the minister for state religious endowments Dr.V.S.Acharya has confused the Jains. There is no need for the Jain maths to be included into the Hindu religious endowments act as we were well protected under the Minority religions act which was adequate for us to protect our shrines and religious places, he said.

(Mangalorean.com)

Jain Monks Learning from Muslim Teacher!

AHMEDABAD: This unique student-teacher relationship can itself be the subject of a doctoral thesis! A Muslim assistant commissioner of commercial tax,Intaj Malek,is PhD guide to two Jain monks Chintan Muni and Niranjan Muni helping them understand Jainism in a new perspective.

Unlike other doctoral guides who keep their students on their toes,Malek follows his on-the-move students around the country,meeting them at upashrayas to follow up on the progress.He also carries reference books and laptops for his students.

Chintan Muni,52,is writing his thesis on Austerities in  Jainism and other religions a comparative study.Niranjan Muni,45,on the other hand,is studying Bhavna Shata Treatise on 12 reflections of Jainism by Shatavdhani Ratnachandraji Maharaj.

The student-guide relationship happened by accident.The Jain munis of Sthanakvasi Jain Ajramar Sampraday were finding it difficult to register themselves as PhD students with Gujarat University and finding a guide.The two munis have not cleared the standard XII exam,but have bachelors and masters degrees from Jain Vishva Bharati University in Ladnun,Rajasthan.

Malek helped them register as students.Once they came in touch,Malek was requested to become their guide since he was eligible,having done in-depth study in Jainism as well as other religions.He also holds a doctorate in Upanishads and Islamic mysticism.

Since 2008,this unique student-teacher trio has not only made progress on the academic front but had a deep influence on the personal front as well.Malek,for instance,has become a vegetarian out of respect for his students.Whenever he goes to meet them to upashrayas,he follows strict Jain rules of not drinking water after sunset.

The students too are in awe of their teacher.We may belong to different religions,but we have similar values.We have never had a difference of opinion on religious issues.Our teacher is an excellent human being who has taught us a lesson in dedication, says Chintan Muni.Despite being on the move as munis are meant to be,their preparedness is humbling.They generally study under a streetlight.While Chintan Muni will complete his thesis soon,Niranjan Muni will complete it by the end of this year, says Malek.

(TOI)

Project to light up Rajabai Tower

The grand Rajabai Tower housed in the University of Mumbai campus at Fort will be illuminated every evening starting next month. The Rs12-lakh project to aesthetically light the 85-metre-high heritage structure is being funded by the Central Bank of India as part of its centenary celebrations. “The tower will be lit up every evening by next month,” said Rajpal Hande, director, Board of College and University Development.

The university will join other educational institutions with heritage structures such as Wilson College and St Xavier’s College, which are lit up through corporate funding.

A fusion of the Gothic and Venetian style, the clock tower houses the university’s library with rare books dating back to the 18th century. The foundation stone for the tower was laid on March 1, 1869, and construction was completed in November 1878 at the cost of Rs2 lakh.

The English architect Sir George Gilbert Scott had designed the Rajabai Tower. It was modelled on Big Ben, the clock tower in London.

Premchand Roychand, a prosperous broker, who founded the Bombay Stock Exchange, bore the entire cost on the condition that the tower is named after his mother, Rajabai. Rajabai was blind and followed Jainism and was supposed to eat dinner before sunset. The evening bell of the tower helped her to know the time. “It will look splendid. The inside of the tower is more beautiful than the exterior. Thankfully, since I am student I can easily visit the beautiful library,” said Bharti Kelkar, a student who frequently visits the library to study and research.

Religious Census Starts from 9th February

Lakhs of enumerators who go knocking at the door of every household during the decennial headcount will carry a reassuring message: have faith in us, we won't question your faith.

With growing instances of inter-religious marriages, the 2011 Census starting February 9 will record the religion of each household member and not assume that religion of the head is the same as every member in the family. Foot soldiers, who pop the question on religion, have been instructed not to get into an argument with those who say they have no religion.

In this year's headcount, if a person says he/she has no religion, then 'no religion' will be recorded. The enumeration forms will have codes for only six major religions — Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism and  Jainism. In case of others, the full name of the religion will be recorded.

"You shouldn't mistake religion for caste names and also try not to establish any relationship between religion and mother tongue. You are bound to record faithfully whatever religion is returned by the respondent," goes the instruction given to enumerators by the office of registrar-general and census commissioner.

Similar level of caution will be exercised while collating data on caste. Although the Centre has cleared a separate caste census later this year, the population enumeration round that'll be held between February 9 and 28 will cover only Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).

Enumerators will carry an SC/ST list pertaining to each state to record the caste. SCs will be only among Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists, while STs can be from any religion.

(Courtasy: TOI, Bangalore)Please share this news with your friends and relatives

New Statue of Teerthanka Mahavir at Molem wildlife sanctuary

PANAJI: An eight-feet tall statue of Bhagwan Mahavir, which will replace the one desecrated by unknown miscreants nearly three years back, will be unveiled at Molem wildlife sanctuary on Sunday at 11.30am.

The government had formed a committee to oversee preparations for the installation of a new statue and select artisans to work on it, as per the wishes of the  Jain community in Goa. The members visited Rajasthan to choose the right material and the artisans for the job, which took four months, a source said.

Chief minister Digambar Kamat will unveil the new statue costing Rs 5 lakh in the presence of forest minister Felipe Neri Rodrigues, chief wildlife warden Shashi Kumar and other dignitaries.

Two statues had been unveiled in Goa, at Molem and Campal in 2001 to mark the 2,600th birth anniversary year of Bhagwan Mahavir. Representatives of Goa Jain Mandal had insisted that a new statue should be installed instead of touching up the damaged one.

Acharya Lokesh Muni gets national integration award

New Delhi, Jan 25 (IANS) Delhi-based writer, orator and social worker Acharya Lokesh Muni has been named for the national award for promotion of communal harmony and national integration for the year 2010.
'The National Communal Harmony Award for the year 2010 will be conferred on Muni of Delhi,' the government said Tuesday.


Muni was chosen by the jury headed by Vice President Hamid Ansari.


The award instituted in 1996 is given in recognition of the efforts of individuals and organisations for promotion of communal harmony and national integration.


The jury did not find any organisation suitable for this award for the year 2010.


The award carries a citation and Rs.2 lakh for the individual.


Muni, 49, is a writer, orator and social worker. He is the chief functionary of Ahimsa Vishwa Bharati, a Delhi based voluntary organisation that aims at promoting non-violence, peace, communal harmony, working against female foeticide and drug addiction.


He worked to de-escalate Hindu-Muslim strife after the Jama Masjid explosion in 2006-07 and tension between Dera Sacha Sauda and the Sikh community in 2007 and also participated in a 1,500-km walk from Haryana to Gujarat to promote communal harmony.


Muni studied Jainism, Buddhism and Vedic philosophy and has 12 books to his credit on subjects like female foeticide, terrorism, principles of peace and brotherhood.


For his academic pursuits, the Indian Board of Alternative Medicines awarded him the PhD. He has also been honoured with the Naitik Samman by the Gulzarilal Nanda Foundation and Bhaskar Puraskar by Bharat Nirman Sangathan for his contribution in restoring human values of peace and brotherhood.

Jain Girl Becomes Nun

YADGIR: A 20-year-old girl, Mumiksha Tina  Jain took sanyas here on Sunday. She was initiated by Ujwalaprabhaji, a Jain sanyasini in Yadgir.

"By sacrificing everything in our life we will lead our life towards spirituality," said Mumiksha Tina. She will participate in a Jain spiritual camp to be held in May for 15 days.

The camp will be held in Karnataka for young Jain girls. A degree holder, Tina's inclination towards spirituality led to her taking sanyas.
(TOI)

Jain Temple in Hyederabad faces demolition threat

HYDERABAD: It is not just the historic Sultan Bazar which will become history if the proposed metro route is executed but also religious facets of this market. Between the half kilometre stretch of Andhra Bank crossroads to Kachiguda, there are nearly 10 important religious structures, more than 100 years old.

The most prominent one is the Jain Mandir, which is the oldest Jain temple in Hyderabad.

“Though officials said they will make sure the Jain mandir will be protected, we have our apprehensions,” said Surendra Luniya, president, SBTA and a key office-bearer of Jain mandir. Other religious places which could be affected are Hanuman temple, Bhagwan Das building, Hari Masjid, Ganesh temple, Muslim Darga, Arya Samaj mandir and Maata Gudi. There are also two heritage buildings- Raja Baghavandas building and Nanu Bhai building which face the treat of demolition.

Jain Monks Stops His Journy after Naxal Threats

AHMEDABAD: A Jain monk on a Mumbai-Rajkot padyatra was given police protection after community sources said he received naxal threats. The valsad district police was given the responsibility to provide security to Namra Muni, 40, when he reached Vapi in south Gujarat on Saturday morning.

Dharmendrasinh Vaghela, superintendent of police, Valsad, said, "Some  Jain leaders told us that the monk faced a threat; so, we decided to provide protection to him."

The anti-terrorist squad in Ahmedabad has detained four suspects from the Vapi-Valsad stretch and is questioning them in this regard, said the squad's sources. The Valsad district police gave the monk four armed policemen and stopped his padyatra. They have taken him to a safe place and are not disclosing the location even to people from his community. The monk, who got Naxal threats during his stay in Bihar, had no security on the Mumbai-Vapi stretch of his walk. When he reached Vapi, the police tracked him down.

Bipin Shah, manager,Nandigram Jain Teerth, where he was supposed to stay, told TOI, "When the monk came here on Friday, the police said he had to be protected and could not be allowed to carry on with the padyatra and that he would have to take a police vehicle."

National minority status for Jains | It is almost done!

The government is working on a proposal to provide minority status to the Jain community at the national level. So far, the community has the minority status in eleven states. The law ministry is examining the proposal to make the community, with an estimated population of five million (50 lakh) in the country, eligible for the minority status nationally.

"We are working on a definite formula and intend to come out with a practical and workable solution to accord minority status to the Jain community nationally," said law minister M Veerappa Moily.

Currently, Maharashtra, Chattisgarh, Delhi, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh recognise the Jains as a minority.

Five communities - Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Budhhists and Parsis have been recognised as national minorities.

A minority status enables a community to run and administer exclusive educational institutions and derive benefits from all welfare schemes running for the minorities including the PM's 15-point programme.

Minorities recognised by the government can approach the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) for safeguarding rights and grievance redressal.

A law ministry official said the government could consider approaching the Supreme Court seeking clarification on an earlier judgment by the top court ruling that Jain community was a part of the Hindu tradition. "The option is available to us though the government is competent to issue a notification under the provisions of the National Commission for Minorities Act."

"There are some high court verdicts which have recognised the jain community as a minority," said the official.

The state governments have the liberty to accord minority status to any community, since it is a state subject according to the constitution.

Delhi is the latest state to have declared the Jain community as a minority. The community has an estimated population of around five lakh (half a million) in the Capital, which is less than one percent of Delhi's population.

(Hindustan Times)