Ahimsa Times 2008 11 SrNo 101

Author(s): Ahimsa Times
Publisher: Ahimsa Times

Page 10

AHIMSA TIMES - NOVEMBER 2008 ISSUE - www.jainsamaj.org
Page 10 of 13
Chairperson of State Women's Commission, Shri Rajesh Kumar, District Pracharak of R.S.S., Dr. Shanti Lal Singhvi from Jain Pedhi and saint Amrit Lal Parmar.
JAIN SAMAJ SHOULD PLAY PROACTIVE ROLE IN THE INDIAN POLITICS
A. K. Jain, Trustee, Ahimsa Foundation
It is the high time the Jain community should introspect about their role in the nation building. Till now, our community has been recognized for its business competence, education and progressive outlook with humble living. But, with these honors, should we develop complacency and concentrate on our basic virtues? The question is being debated by the community in several forums. Community leaders have frequently expressed about the necessity of venturing into other diverse fields of vocations and professions. Fields like sports, defense and politics are some of the sectors, where we have hardly shown any commitment. Although, from time to time many individuals distinguished themselves in these segments but, by and large there was general lack of interest.
Recently, several forums of Jain Diaspora have seriously debated the role of Jain Community in the governance of the country. All of them expressed the need for community to progressively increase its presence in the administration and policy decisions concerning the nation management. The lack of community presence in the helm of affairs of the country has fundamentally threatened the existence of Jain diaspora. Settling "minority status" for the community and "protection of its religious properties" are blatant example of gross failure of the community leaders in impressing the issues on the administrative and political machinery.
Many of our enlightened saints and community leaders have shown keen interest and concern on this issue. It is high time that the community overcomes its reticence and move to create a new stature for our vibrant new generation. Steadfastly, the community should aggressively make efforts to secure administrative and political aspirations. Elections in many states are already in progress but extremely few from Jain community have come forward to contest. General elections are also not far away. This is the opportune time, we should organize ourselves and release the political agenda,
With our vast resources, knowledge, management skills and educational credence it would not be difficult to compete with the majority of the illiterate, unorganized, undisciplined, shady and corrupt groups operating in politics. But, if the community expects its individuals to take the lead and go on their own, nothing is going to be achieved. What is required is country-wide whole-hearted community nominations and support in all formats. Then only significant impact will be noticed at the national level.
But, practically, the subject is not as simple and straight. Irrefutably, the Jain community today is a fragmented society. The Jain society's composition consists of groups, sects, sub-sects and religious leaders consistently skirmishing for their existence, ego, properties and point of views. In these conditions, it is going to be a herculean task for the community to nominate and support whole-heartedly its candidates and make them triumphant. But, the negative feelings should not deter us from enterprising, where the stakes can be phenomenal.
It is our appeal to all respectable religious leaders, organizations like JAINA, JITO and many others to proactively come forward and initiate a new process of nation building by the Jain Community. We must organize ourselves as a community to unite and work together at political level. The community should nominate and financially support its political representatives irrespective of their party affiliations. This will make our community more reverent, effective and worthy in the national framework.
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8/11/2009