Thread by @voiceofjainism

Thread

Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act 2003 and its implication on Jainism

#Jainism
#DeclareShikharaJiPavitraTirth
#SaveGiriraj

In 2003, the Gujarat state assembly (under the chief minsitership of Narendra Modi) passed the controversial "Freedom Of Religion" bill, which clubbed Jainism and Buddhism as denominations of Hinduism.

The move was protested by the Jain, Buddhist, and Christian communities.

The National Commission for Minorities termed this to be a violation of its 1993 notification classifying Buddhists as a minority community.

The Jains were not considered as a minority at that time.

Gujarat Governor was forced to withhold his assent & the bill was withdrawn.

All India Digambar Jain Mahasabha opposed the decision on 20 September 2006. Their leader stated, "Any government, as per their convenience and agenda cannot afford to curb our right of a religious identity"

On 3 October 2006, the Shwetambar Murtipujak Jain Sangh, held a meeting with state's solicitor-general to assert that Jainism is a distinct religion and not a Hindu denomination.

Shrenik Shah, Gujarat's leading industrialist and president of the All India Shwetambar Murtipujak Jain Sangh, said that they had held a meeting with Gujarat's solicitor-general and expressed their view to recognise Jainism as a distinct religion.

The bill was withdrawn in March 2008.

There is a long history of the current regime's blatant attempts to snuff out the separate identity of the Jain religion by trying to force-fit it as a sub-sect of Hinduism.

Source: web.archive.org/web/2010031120…