Jain Sadhvi's Remarks Creates Tension

Jalandhar, Aug 30 : Tension continued to prevail in the cantonment area of the city on the fourth day today even after the arrest of the Jain Sadhvi Chelna Didi of Jharkhand for her alleged derogatory remarks about Maharishi Valmiki during her discourse in the Digambar Jain Mandir on Thursday night which outraged the Valmiki community.

The activists of the Jain community made a futile attempt today for a complete bandh in the cantoment area. The police, however, did not allow the activists to use pressure tactics against the shopkeepers who opened their shops today.

The administration is worried over the religious procession (Shobha Yatra) to be taken out on September 3, when the week-long annual religious function of the Jain community in progress at the cantonment’s Digambar Jain Mandir will come to an end. In the procession, distinguished Jain Munis and prominent leaders of the Jain sect across the country are expected to participate.

In order to prevent any untoward incident and check violence the police have made elaborate security arrangements around the mandir.

The leaders of the Jain community have started parleys with the Valmiki leaders to resolve the matter.

Mr Sukhpal Jain, president of the mandir managing committee and Anup Jain said the community wanted to resolve the dispute so that the arrested Sadhvi could go to her home state without any legal complications. Meanwhile, the sermons restarted in the mandir today.

There are indications that leaders of the Valmiki organisations have softened their stand in view of the apology tendered on behalf of the Sadhvi, who was arrested on Friday last.
--UNI

Jain sadhvi alleges molestation in Palitana

BHAVNAGAR: A Jain sadhvi's alleged molestation outside a dharamsala in the pilgrim town of Palitana has outraged the region's Jain community.

In a complaint registered on Monday, the 27-year-old sadhvi told the police that a man attacked her on February 9, when she had gone into the open field behind the dharamsala to attend to the nature's call. She said the man molested her and ran away when she shouted for help.

As the community threatened a major agitation, the police held an identification parade on Monday, in which the sadhvi identified a balloon-seller, Laxman Bhara, who lives near the dharamsala , as the culprit. Bhara was immediately arrested.

Palitana police inspector R J Waghela said Bhara had taken the sadhvi by surprise, pushed her to the ground and tried to gag her. But sadhvi's cries forced Bhara to flee, he said. The sadhvi had immediately informed the dharamsala caretakers about the incident. The police was called in, but the caretakers didn't want to register the complaint initially, preferring to discuss the issue among themselves first.

Maharaj Revant Vijay of the Palitana Jain temple has demanded stern action against the accused. The community's religious heads are planning a protest rally.