Entire Jain Samaj is shocked and anguished by the attack on a Jain monk in Girnar, Junagarh & Killing of two Jain monks in road accident on NH no. 8 at Bharuch both incident took place in the State of Gujarat in India.
The beginning of year 2013 is really alarming for Jains across the world. On Jan 1, 2013, Jain Monk Muni Shri Prabalsagarji Maharaj was returning from the Girnar Hill (5th Peak) at around 6 pm after Darshan of Charan Chhatri of 22nd Tirthankar Bhagwan Neminath, who attended Moksha from this hill only. Munishri was attacked with knife by some unsocial elements and sustained 5 severe injuries in the stomach which to continuous bleeding.
Munishri was detained by these elements for hours after the attack. Later on at 2:30 am he was admitted in Junagarh’s hospital and his condition is said to be critical.
Munishri fell unconscious and at 2:30 am some people bring him down from the hill by Palki and were taken to hospital via Ambulance.
A Jain monk takes a lifelong vow of never to hurt anyone, never to use and cause violence towards any (humans and non humans) and never to use any kind of vehicle (human, animal and mechanical driven) and never to get treatment in hospitals except Ayurvedic Treatment and never to move at night from one place to another. Never before in the history of Jains in India, has any Jain Sadhu been attacked brutally with knifes and his vows been broken.
Jains, (like Sikhs) are a small minority community in Gujarat and many other states, and should be guaranteed the right to practice their religion without any outside interference. These and other inalienable rights such as the Right guaranteeing freedom of religion should have been upheld by those charged with enforcing the law. Since when has Jain Munis become a threat or warning for anybody in Independent India?
Girnar hill has been encroached illegally by Pandas since last 15-20 years. The matter is pending in High Court. Jain Pilgrims are threatened every day while their pilgrimage to this Jain Tirth and no security has been deployed till date.
We are especially concerned that instead of protecting MuniShri’s right to worship, the Govt of Gujarat failed and this incidence has led to violation of MuniShri’s personal vow and ethical code of conduct for Jain sadhus invoked by the act of taking diksha; honoring this code means everything to our revered sadhus and sadhvis. Forcibly transporting him in a vehicle and then hospitalization in the middle of the night, this has further violated MuniShri’s precious lifelong religious vows (of never using any kind of vehicle, animal, human or mechanically driven), causing him and the entire Jain community irreparable harm, including breach of faith in the law and government, which has greatly hurt the sensibilities and beliefs of the entire Jain community world over.
In the 2nd incidence, Two Jain monks [namely Muni Gyanshekhar Vijay Maharaj and Muni Hastigiri Vijay Maharaj] died on the spot after they were run over by a truck on national highway 8 near Bharuch in the wee hours of Tuesday.
When they were walking along the side of the highway, a heavy duty loaded truck rammed them from behind between Nabipur and Bharuch, police said. In last 5 years more than 40 Jain Monks have died in such road accidents. We have doubt that all these accidents are conspiracy.
We urgently request to take immediate action to
- Remove Illegal encroachers from Girnar Hill immediately;
- Deploy Police Force on Girnar hill at all times and ensure security of Jain pilgrims & Jain monks
- take severe against attackers
- We demand CBI investigation in all such road accident cases of Jain Monks and fatal attack on Jain monk at Girnar Hill.