Ahimsa Times 2007 08 SrNo 86

Author(s): Ahimsa Times
Publisher: Ahimsa Times

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AHIMSA TIMES - AUGUST 2007 ISSUE - www.jainsamaj.org
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engineering from Delhi School of Engineering, was with Unilever in 1980 as a management trainee. The second was with Whirlpool in 1996, post the acquisition of Kelvinator. This time, Jain had to shift to Shanghai. And though this led to major adjustments for himself and his family, Jain was most excited by the opportunity of overseeing the "integration of an acquisition". Moving beyond the US, Jain is now in-charge of selling this "Wal-Mart is good for India" vision.
"VAGEESHWARI PURUSKAR" TO VIVEKANAND JAIN (BANARAS) FOR THE YEAR 2007 - In the gracious presence of Jain Monk 108 Balacharya Yogindra Sagar Ji Maharaj with group (Sasangh) and in the presence of Charukirti Bhattarak Swamy (Mulbadri) Sri Vevekanand Jain, Assistant Librarian, Central Library, Banaras Hindu University received an award known as "Vageeshwari Puruskar" for the year 2007 at Sree Mahaveer Ji District Karoli, Rajasthan (India). This award is given by "National Non-Violence Unity Foundation Trust" Ujjain every year to a young
Jain scholar for their contribution to the society. Sri Chandra Prakash Pandey (Ratlam) is the president, Sri Mahendra Jain (Kota) as Vice-president and Dr. Savita Jain (Ujjain) is working as secretary for this foundation.
MISCELLANEOUS
JAINISM, BUDDHISM ARE NOT HINDUISM'S DENOMINATIONS - GUJARAT GOVERNOR - Gujarat Governor has returned the Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2006; which was passed by the state Assembly during the monsoon session in September last year. Finding it not in conformity with the concept of freedom of Religion as embodied in Article 25 (1) of the Constitution, Governor Nawal Kishore Sharma has returned the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2006. The Bill was passed by the state Assembly during the monsoon session in September last year. The governor has held that Jainism and Buddhism are recognized as religions rather than denominations of Hinduism something that the Amendment Bill sought to convey. The Amendment Bill - to make changes in the Gujarat Freedom of Religion Act, 2003, enacted by Modi's Government - would have excluded conversions amongst Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains from the purview of the 2003 Act, which required prior permissions from the district administration. Elaborating the meaning of a convert, the Amendment Bill showed Buddhism and Jainism as denominations of Hindu religion, as Shias and Sunnis are of Islam, or Catholics and Protestants are for Christianity. The governor has found this objectionable and asked the state Assembly to reconsider the change.
A press release issued by Raj Bhawan here on Tuesday, said that the proposed amendment would amount to withdrawing the protection against forceful or inappropriate religious conversions, particularly in case of the Jains and Buddhists. The release cites large-scale protests from different religious and social organizations, especially from the Jain and Christian communities, in indicating toward the unacceptability of the proposed amendment. Delegations that met Sharma following the passage of the Bill last year, particularly objected to the inclusion of Jainism as a sect of Hinduism. The seemingly innocuous change had attracted widespread protests from the All India Digambar Jain Dharam Sanrakshini Sabha
Sharma considered the proposed amendment in the light of these protests and visits, and has concluded that even the Supreme Court has ruled that Jainism is a special religion" formed on the basis of quintessence of Hinduism, and not as a denomination of Hinduism. Building on this argument, Sharma has held that the amendment would make it difficult for the state to prevent forceful conversion of Jains into Hindus, and thus goes against the spirit of Article 25 (1) of the Constitution that guarantees freedom of religion. The press release says that it impairs the freedom of conscience, and protection against forced or fraudulent conversions.
A section opposed to the Bill had found it to be part of the larger design of the Sangh Parivar. "If Buddhists are treated as part of Hinduism, then all its followers in China, Japan and much of South-East Asia become Hindus," said Girish Patel, a noted social activist. The Modi Government seems to have been caught off guard by the Governor's returning of the Amendment Bill. Expressing reactions, Cedric Prakash,a Human rights activist said - "We have protested against both the original Act and the amendment. It was draconian, anti-constitutional, and went against the freedom guaranteed both by our Constitution and the universal declaration of human rights. State should not have anything do with the individual's right to believe or even not believe, and that has been our stand."
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8/11/2009