Led by Acharya Shri Mahaprajna, the Ahimsa Yatra today entered the textile city of Bhilwara. His Holiness was publicly welcomed by leading citizens and political leaders at a massive gathering at the Government Higher Secondary School on Rajendra Marg.
Rajasthan State Minister for Public Constructions Shri Gulabchand Katariya, Bhilwara M.P. Shri Vijendrapal Singh, Bhilwara M.L.A. Shri Subhash Bahediya as well as Municipal Council Chairman Shri Vinod Agarwal attended the ceremony. A large contingent of social and religious leaders from all religions and sects were also present at the gathering.
Addressing the huge gathering, Acharya Shri Mahaprajna said that the he was repeatedly informed about Bhilwara being a textile city. But no one had informed him about Bhilwara being a city of values & virtues. “I want you to make Bhilwara a place where virtuous people reside, a city where people wear the clothes of values”, His Holiness called upon the gathering. Talking about the Ahimsa Yatra, He stated that it was a tour of experimentation. It aims to spread the message that humanity is one. So long as humankind did not accept this fact, violence can never be removed. Society must develop the emotion of non - violence and secularism within itself. Only then will it be possible for humans to peacefully coexist. Today, many are working to construct a better world. However, there is no one who is making efforts to construct better humans. This is giving a chance for violence to spread. I am out to find the reasons behind violence because I believe that it is first necessary to know the disease before treating it.
Describing prosperity as more dangerous than poverty, Acharya Shri said that while some people have millions of rupees as personal property, millions of people do not even get a wholesome meal. This imbalance is highly dangerous. And people are using religion to justify the illicit means they use for gathering this prosperity. Cheat all through the day and then go to the temple in the evening and wash it all off with a prayer. How correct is this? Hence, we need to develop values that will bring about a balance in society and thereby lay to rest the demon of violence. His Holiness called upon the citizens of Bhilwara to take this initiative upon them and develop their city accordingly.
Shri Jain Svetambar Terapanthi Sabha, Bhilwara president Prabhakar Nanavati, Mewad Conference president Dr. Mahendra Karnavat, Terapanth Yuvak Parishad, Bhilwara president Nirmal Gokhru and Mahila Mandal president Pushpalata Bhandari also attended the ceremony.