Mumbai: The demolition of a Jain temple in Mumbai’s Vile Parle by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has kicked up a political storm, ongoing for the past four days. All parties, including sections of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have slammed the civic body over the demolition.
On 16 April, a BMC team from the K-East ward demolished the Shri 1008 Parshwanath Digambar Jain Mandir, allegedly illegally built inside Neminath Cooperative Housing Society on Nehru Road in Vile Parle East.
The temple demolition sparked off a massive protest by the Jain community in Mumbai. On Saturday, thousands dressed in white clothes marched to the K-East ward office in protest, wearing black bands. Protesters alleged that despite a pending stay order by the court, the BMC demolished the temple while devotees were inside. In an urgent hearing, called on the same day, the Bombay High Court ordered a status quo till the next hearing on 30 April.
K-East ward in-charge Navnath Ghadge Patil, who ordered the demolition, was transferred later in the day, according to BMC Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. Meanwhile, H-East ward assistant commissioner Swapnaja Kshirsagar took additional charge for the K-East ward until further notice. On Sunday, for devotees to continue prayers and religious rituals, the idols were restored on a small canopy.
Summoned to a hearing on the matter Tuesday, Gagrani did not attend the Maharashtra State Minority Commission meeting neither did he visit the temple site. After the minority commission ordered a site survey to assess the temple damage, the minority commission’s vice chairman, along with now-ward in-charge Swapnaja Kshirsagar and DCP (Zone-8) Maneesh Kalwaniya, inspected the demolished-temple site.
A day earlier, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Engineers’ Union condemned Ghadge Patil’s transfer, alleging “political pressure” in the discharge of official duties. Seen by ThePrint, the union’s letter, dated 21 April and addressed to the BMC commissioner, said that the temple issue was already in court, and Ghadge Patil was only following court orders. “If this situation continues, Mumbai, which is known as a world-class city, will soon be known as a city of illegal construction,” the letter said.
ThePrint met the K-East ward officials with questions, but they did not respond.
ThePrint also contacted BMC Commissioner Gagrani over calls and text messages, and this report will be updated if and when he responds.
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Why temple was demolished
Members of the Jain community have alleged that the civic body demolished the temple under the influence of a local businessman, who wanted to expand his hotel business to the temple premises.
Speaking to ThePrint, temple trust secretary Anil Bandi said, “Until 15 April, we did not have a stay order post-midnight. However, the court ordered a stay [on demolition] at 11 am on 16 April. The only thing illegal here is a restaurant and bar, run by the local businessman on the temple premises.”
The BMC demolition squad reached the temple on 16 April morning.
Bandi said the temple trust had received notices earlier, too, but had requested the BMC not to demolish the temple.
“If we did not interfere with their business, why did they have to demolish the temple of a peace-loving community, carrying out their prayers?” he asked.
He added that past governments had saved the temple from demolition, but this time, the BMC acted without informing the government.
“The local business wants to redevelop the entire premises and remove the temple to build malls, restaurants, and hotels,” said Bandi.
Another member of the temple trust, Dinesh Jain, said, “The officials did not spare any of our idols and damaged everything, from the ceilings to the walls. They broke our idols into two pieces and disrespected our sacred texts.”
Speaking to ThePrint, Jain said that the officials forcefully entered the temple while devotees wearing their traditional attire were praying. The officials allegedly pushed women out, with some of them even fainting during the demolition.
“We requested them to be gentle as the idols were present inside the premises, but they did not listen to our requests,” Jain said.
According to Bandi, the temple incurred damages worth crores of rupees, with several damaged idols and religious texts recovered from the site later.
“We do not want any money, but only want our land back. We will not stay quiet till we rebuild the temple here itself. However, the ward officer responsible for this act should be suspended,” he said.
Even though Navnath Ghadge Patil was transferred, the Jain community demanded his suspension after the BMC unearthed multiple damaged idols from the site during the removal of debris.
Speaking to ThePrint, advocate Dhanpal Solanki Jain, a member of the All India Jain Minority Forum, said, “Since the BJP came to power in 2014, the Jain community has faced a hidden Brahminical agenda, fostering resentment among us. Jains are not traditionally BJP supporters, and many align with parties like Congress. Given that the BJP is ruling the state and the BMC, they must uphold minority rights as outlined in the Constitution.”
“We have witnessed illegal hawkers and structures flourishing under the BMC’s watch. There is a power imbalance in how the BMC demolished a 30- or 40-year-old temple, without proper oversight or communication. This is an instance of money power playing out. As minority representatives, we demand that the BMC rebuild the temple, restoring our rights as guaranteed under the law,” said the advocate.
Political Bickering
Politicians from all parties have demanded action against the BJP. Opposition leaders are questioning why the ruling alliance, Mahayuti, which administers the BMC, let the demolition happen in the first place.
District MLA and co-guardian minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha posted on the microblogging site X, “The removal of the Jain temple of Pujya Shri Parshvanath Bhagwan in Vile Parle has hurt the sentiments of the Jain community. It was not just a religious place, but a centre of faith and devotion of the community.”
Worli MLA and former cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray also took to X, saying, “The co-guardian minister is just playing a game! The chief minister is from his party. The BMC is run by the chief minister’s office.
He is the co-guardian minister of the district. Who took the action? The BMC that the CMO runs. Where? In the district where he [Lodha] is the co-custodian minister. So what exactly are they protesting?”
“They had every right to tell @mybmc not to take action until the case is heard. Why didn’t they do so? They are lying to the Jain community and citizens! The question is, as usual, the officer was changed, but when will action be taken against the real culprits?” Thackeray asked in his post.
Similarly, in a post on X, MP and Mumbai Congress President Varsha Gaikwad said, “Is it a crime to be a minority in BJP-ruled states? A 30-year-old Parshwanath Digambar Jain Mandir, located on Nehru Road in Vile Parle (East), Mumbai, was suddenly and brutally demolished. This was not just a building—it was a symbol of the Jain community’s faith, tradition, and identity. What’s even more disturbing is that the idols of Jain Tirthankaras, sacred scriptures like the Jinvani, and other revered religious texts were also desecrated.”
Pooja Bhatia is an intern with ThePrint.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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