Guwahati, Feb 1 Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Friday that any attempt to impede the community's pious customs will be met with firmness amid protests against a religious parade in Jorhat town that was led by Jain monks.
Sarma's remarks appeared in the midst of protests by a group of individuals in Jorhat town after the Jain community's ritual procession on Wednesday.
Some people of upper Assam’s Jorhat town reacted sharply to the procession led by two Jain monks, who were not wearing clothes in accordance with their religious practice, through the main thoroughfares in the district headquarters of Jorhat.
The two naked Jain monks traveled to the Marwari Thakurbari campus in Jorhat town on Wednesday in a ceremonial procession from Dimapur in Nagaland.
“The Jain religion, with its revered Param Pujaniya Munis, embodies ahimsa, sacrifice, and selfless devotion. Any attempt to disrupt their sacred practices will be met with firm and decisive action,” the Chief Minister said in a post on X.
Assam stands resolute in upholding religious tolerance, and will continue to carry forward the message of compassion and humanity with unwavering determination, he added.
In protest of this, a group of people from several organizations marched to the district commissioner's office on Thursday while yelling anti-procession slogans.
Near the DC office, eight persons were taken into custody, including Hemen Bora, president of the Jorhat Bar Association, and a few Bir Lachit Sena members -- a socio-cultural organisation. They were released on Friday evening.
Bir Lachit Sena State General Secretary Ranju Paniphukan said, “There will undoubtedly be social and cultural imbalances brought forth by the presence of such naked monks. As a result, we will never tolerate such activities and will not allow such persons to move in public areas in the name of religious practices.”
Members of a few organisations along with Bir Lachit Sena submitted memorandums demanding the intervention of the district commissioner about the practice of the two nude Jain monks.
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