Shiv Sena MP slams Jain monk’s call to vote BJP for ‘veg societies’

Mumbai: Attributing the Bharatiya Janata Party’s victory in the Mira-Bhayandar municipal corporation to “muni and money”, Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut said that the party is going to lodge a complaint with Election Commission in relation to the controversial remarks made by a Jain monk. Mr Raut’s comment came after reports that the monk had appealed the community to vote for the BJP, which will support vegetarianism in the society. However, the BJP immediately replied to him, asking Sena to contemplate over party’s defeat rather than blaming the monk.

In the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation polls, out of the total 95 seats, the BJP won (61), Shiv Sena (22), Congress (10) and NCP (0). The BJP emerged as the biggest party in the civic body. Naypadmasagarji Maharaj, the Jain monk had appealed to the people during the polls to vote for the BJP, to support vegetarianism in the society, a news report said.

Terming the appeal by the Jain monk as a violation of the code of conduct, Mr Raut said that the party would be lodging a complaint against this to the election commission. “These monks are posing a threat to the law and order situation in the state. We are going to register a complaint to the election commission,” the Sena MP said.

“The BJP’s victory is a stigma to the Maharashtra culture. Jain monk had issued fatwas in the Mira-Bhayandar polls on the lines of fatwas by Imam of Jama Masjid. Those who issued such fatwas are political goons,” Mr Raut told reporters.

Replying to Mr Raut, BJP spokesperson Madhav Bhandari said that the Sena has been losing elections since 2014. “Instead of finding the reason for its defeat in the polls, the Sena is crying foul over a Jain muni. In fact, the Sena has no moral right to speak against the monk who has devoted his life for the society,” Bhandari said.

Hailing the Jain community for adhering to non-violence principle, Mr Raut said that the Jain monk’s remarks were however, “violent”. “The Jain community participates in all our works and initiatives. It is peace-loving community. However, the monk’s remarks were a kind of violence,” he added.