Jains urge State govt. to consider demands immediately, express solidarity with seer on sallekhana

Office-bearers of Digambar Jain Samaj and those (right) from Digambar Jain Boarding addressing different press conferences in Hubballi on Friday. | Photo Credit: KIRAN BAKALE Digambar Jain Samaj of Hubballi and Digambar Jain Boarding, Hubballi, affiliated to Dakshin Bharat Jain Sabha, have urged the State government to immediately take steps to fulfil their long-pending demands.Addressing different press conferences in Hubballi on Friday, office-bearers of the two organisations felt that successive governments have been apathetic towards the long-pending demands of the Jain community.The office-bearers of Digambar Jain Samaj even announced that they will join Acharya Gunadhar Nandi Maharaj of Varur Navagraha Teertha Kshetra if he undertakes sallekhana.Their announcement comes close on the heels of Acharya Gunadhar Nandi Maharaj of Varur Navagraha Teertha Kshetra setting a 10-day deadline to the State government and threatening to undertake sallekhana (a Jain religious vow involving voluntary fasting unto death) in December if the rightful demands of Jains are not met.President of Digambar Jain Samaj, Hubballi, Rajendra Bilagi, vice-president Vimal Talikoti and other office-bearers said that it is regrettable that successive governments have shown just lip sympathy to the long-pending demands of the community.They said that they are deeply pained by the Jain monk’s announcement on undertaking sallekhana. However, they said they will support him and if the demands are not met, hundreds of members from the community will adopt sallekhana.Appeal to govt.Addressing presspersons, president of Digambar Jain Boarding, Hubballi, Vidyadhar Patil said that the community is shocked by the Jain monk’s announcement on sallekhana and urged the State government to immediately send emissaries to convince him to withdraw his decision.Mr. Patil said that Jains, who are a minority among the minorities, are being sidelined by successive governments and their demands like setting up of Jain Development Corporation, better safety for Jain monks during their travel and others have remained unfulfilled.He said that the community members will all come together on a common platform to decide the next course of action and to decide the nature of agitation to be launched to press for the fulfilment of their demands.He said that they will urge the Jain monk to withdraw his announcement on adopting sallekhana.Addressing a press conference in Hubballi on Tuesday, Acharya Gunadhar Nandi Maharaj said that the State government has failed to take decisive action despite repeated representations over the past three years.He said that he can no longer remain a silent spectator to what he described as injustice to the Jain community. A march and satyagraha will be organised in November and he will consider undertaking sallekhana in December if the State government continues to remain unresponsive, he said. Published - October 30, 2026 06:58 pm IST