Mumbai, October 12:The ongoing Kabutarkhana controversy has taken a political turn, as leaders from the Jain community have announced plans to form a political party to contest the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, with animal protection at the core of their agenda.
At a press conference on Saturday, community leaders said that the pigeon — symbolizing peace — would serve as their party’s emblem. “We will wait until Diwali for the government to reopen the Kabutarkhana. If our demands are ignored, we will move forward with our political plans,” one of the religious leaders declared.
The announcement comes days after a prayer meeting was held in Dadar to mourn the pigeons that reportedly died following the BMC’s decision to close Kabutarkhanas across the city. The event was attended by several prominent Jain religious figures.
Earlier this year, during the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, the state government ordered the closure of 51 Kabutarkhanas in Mumbai, citing public health concerns. Officials said pigeon droppings and feathers could cause respiratory problems. Though the order faced legal challenges, the Bombay High Court upheld the ban on feeding pigeons at these sites.
The issue has since stirred controversy, with one religious leader making a contentious statement claiming, “Even if one person dies, it is acceptable. Doctors who say pigeon droppings cause illness are fools.”
Following the closures, some protestors reportedly tried to forcibly reopen Kabutarkhanas and damaged BMC installations designed to block pigeon access. The matter has also sparked tensions between communities and taken on a linguistic and political angle, with both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) condemning the Jain community’s actions.
The ongoing Kabutarkhana controversy has taken a political turn, as leaders from the Jain community have announced plans to form a political party to contest the upcoming Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections, with animal protection at the core of their agenda.
At a press conference on Saturday, community leaders said that the pigeon — symbolizing peace — would serve as their party’s emblem. “We will wait until Diwali for the government to reopen the Kabutarkhana. If our demands are ignored, we will move forward with our political plans,” one of the religious leaders declared.
The announcement comes days after a prayer meeting was held in Dadar to mourn the pigeons that reportedly died following the BMC’s decision to close Kabutarkhanas across the city. The event was attended by several prominent Jain religious figures.
Earlier this year, during the monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature, the state government ordered the closure of 51 Kabutarkhanas in Mumbai, citing public health concerns. Officials said pigeon droppings and feathers could cause respiratory problems. Though the order faced legal challenges, the Bombay High Court upheld the ban on feeding pigeons at these sites.
The issue has since stirred controversy, with one religious leader making a contentious statement claiming, “Even if one person dies, it is acceptable. Doctors who say pigeon droppings cause illness are fools.”
Following the closures, some protestors reportedly tried to forcibly reopen Kabutarkhanas and damaged BMC installations designed to block pigeon access. The matter has also sparked tensions between communities and taken on a linguistic and political angle, with both Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) condemning the Jain community’s actions.
