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4. There was no practical programme of work.
There was not enough publicity about the Association, 6. There was no sufficient fund.
THE CONDITION OF THE PRESENT-DAY JAINS. 1. They are decreasing in number day by day. From a calculation of the figures obtained in the Census Reports during the past years it is clear that 19 Jains die away every day. If the mortality should go on at this rate there will be not even a single Jain !55 years hence, i.e., in the year 2085 A. D., Jainism and Jains will be things of the past. What will be the use of our fight for political emancipation and our labours for the preservation and propagation of Jain literature if there will be none to be profited by them.
2. The Community is torn to pieces by schisms, gects and sub-sects.
3. In certain provinces the Jains are still backward in education.
4. Social evils such as child-marriages, old men marrying young girls and caste-prejudices ruin several families.
5. Economic distress sometimes brings disaster to families. 6. Much money is wasted on religious litigation.
THE ONLY REMEDY. The only remedy for the above evils is to have in the first place an All-India Jain Association having as its members
1. Representatives from all the sects of the Jains and
2. Representatives from all the provinces where the Jains live.
The Association should have the following objects. 1. To increase the numerical strength of the Jains. 2. To unite all the sects of the Jains.
3. To provide facilities for the education of the Jain hoys and girls in all the provinces. Shree Sudharmaswami Gyanbhandar-Umara, Surat
www.umaragyanbhandar.com
