Jain monk's threat to protest over pigeon feeding spots sparks row in Mumbai
Marathi Ekikaran Samiti opposes Jain monk Nileshchandra Maharaj's threat of stir and fast unto death to reopen Mumbai's shut kabutarkhanas
The issue of Mumbai's closed pigeon feeding spots, or kabutarkhanas, has flared up again. Jain monk Nileshchandra Maharaj has demanded that the kabutarkhanas be reopened immediately and warned that if this does not happen, he will launch an agitation along with a fast unto death. The warning has raised the prospect of fresh controversy over the issue.
For the past few months, Mumbai has seen a clash between religious faith and public health concerns over the kabutarkhanas. Several kabutarkhanas in the city have been shut over fears that pigeon droppings and feathers could harm people's health. Feeding pigeons at these spots has also been banned. According to reports, around 51 kabutarkhanas in Mumbai remain closed.
Meanwhile, the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti has backed the government's decision to keep the kabutarkhanas closed, citing public health concerns. Samiti president Govardhan Deshmukh said that feeding large quantities of grain to pigeons could affect people's health. He also said that instead of shutting the kabutarkhanas completely, strict rules should be enforced there and properly followed. Deshmukh said, "Let pigeons eat their natural food. Do not make them dependent on others and weak by feeding them grain."
Govardhan Deshmukh also made sharp remarks about the role of Jain monk Nileshchandra, who has threatened an agitation demanding that the kabutarkhanas be reopened. He alleged that Nileshchandra is trying to divert people's attention from Maharashtra's real issues. Deshmukh also said that language threatening the government would not be tolerated.
The Marathi Ekikaran Samiti has also demanded that the government's decision on the kabutarkhanas be strictly enforced, that fines on those feeding pigeons be increased, and that cases be filed against those who violate the rules. Jain monk Nileshchandra's threat of agitation and the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti's opposition to it have brought the issue of Mumbai's kabutarkhanas back into the spotlight.
