Jainism - News relating to Jain religion

Jainism - News relating to Jain religion:

AHIMSA & VEGETARIANISM

SWISS AIRLINE FINED FOR SERVING MEAT MEAL

25th August, 2016 : The apex consumer commission directed Swiss International Airlines to pay a compensation of Rs 20,000 to a flyer and upgrade his economy class ticket to business class for his future travels, as a penalty for serving him non-vegetarian food instead of a Jain meal he had opted for. The National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission upheld the district forum’s order also directing Swiss International Airlines, to pay Rs 10,000 towards litigation cost and dismissed the revision petition filed by Mumbai resident Amit Jay Kumar Jain to enhance the compensation. The court said, "the airlines shall be bound by its commitment to upgrade economy class to business class in one flight booked by with a rider that the complainant must undertake that flight within one year".

The bench noted that the complainant was alerted by a co-passenger before he could eat the non-vegetarian food served to him. “It cannot be said with certainty that the complainant consumed a morsel of non-vegetarian food. Thus, under the circumstances, the compensation awarded to the complainant seem to be reasonable and there is no cause for interfering with it,” the bench added. According to the complaint, on May 6, 2011, while flying from Zurich to Mumbai, Jain was served with a non-vegetarian meal whereas he had opted for a special vegetarian Jain meal. When he approached the district forum in Mumbai, the airline said the mistake was human error and offered that in future any one economy class ticket booked by the complainant from India to Europe or from Europe to India would be upgraded to business class and an apology was also tendered in writing.

500 BIRDS HURT BY KITE FLYING - INDEPENDENCE DAY NEW DELHI

17th August, 2016 Delhi : The Jain Temple Charitable Bird Hospital, opposite the historic Red Fort, was under tremendous strain after 15th August kite flying day. As many as 500 birds injured by manjha were treated at the hospital. The number of casualties, however, was much higher. Sunil Jain, manager of the hospital, said: “The number is likely to cross 1,000 by the end of this week. This is a frightening scenario.” Reason for popularity - Manjha are kite strings that have glass shreds or are made of nylon. They are popular as they ensure that kites don’t get cut easily, and fly higher. The string, however, is responsible for crippling and killing a lot of birds every year. The glass manjha (glass powder-treated string, also called Chinese string / manjha) gets entangled around trees, and kills birds, says Sunil Jain. He adds that the commonly injured birds are eagles, pigeons and parrots. They usually receive cuts in the neck region and wings. Old Delhi sees the maximum number of cases. The hospital treats nearly 30,000 birds every year. The authorities say that August and early September are the worst months for birds. Wildlife SOS co-founder Kartick Satyanarayan says, “Manjha claims the lives of countless birds in India every year.

The danger posed by manja is not new. It has fluttered feathers of animal rights activists for years now. People for Ethical Treatment of Animals, PETA, has rallied to have governments ban the deadly string and stick to saddi a plain cotton thread. After so much of loss, local politicians are doing mud slinging on each other for mismanaging and controlling import of Chinese string. The good thing about the Delhi government’s ban is that it includes the Bareilly ka manja. Other governments such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra have banned only the Chinese nylon strings.

BJP, JAIN COMMUNITY DEMAND LONGER MEAT BAN IN MUMBAI

Last year, the controversy over the meat ban erupted after the BJP-ruled Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation banned sale of meat and slaughter of animals for eight days during the fasting season of Paryushan. 23rd August 2016, Mumbai : A year after a controversy broke over demands for an eight-day ban on meat during the Jain community’s holy period of Paryushan, the contentious demand is raised again. A Bharatiya Janata Party legislator has demanded that the existing two-day ban on the slaughter of animals at the Deonar abattoir and sale of meat in the city be extended to four days. The Jain community will observe Paryushan, a fasting period, from August 29 to September 5. As per the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s existing plans, the Deonar abattoir and sale of meat would be banned on August 29 and September 5 only. The legislator has written to the BMC, requesting to extend the two-day meat ban to four days like earlier. Last year, following the controversy over the ban, what was initially planned as a four-day meat ban was reduced to just two days. “So, the two-day rule will be continued this year too,” said Yogesh Shetye, general manager of the Deonar abattoir.

The civic body had justified the proposed four-day ban last year, saying that the decision to ban sale of meat had been taken based on corporation resolutions passed in 1964 and 1994 and the state government’s 2004 resolution. However last year, the controversy over the meat ban erupted after the BJP-ruled Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation banned sale of meat and slaughter of animals for eight days during the fasting season. Subsequently, the BMC also announced a four-day ban on meat after demands by BJP legislators and the Jain organisations. The Shiv Sena, an alliance partner of the BJP in the BMC, had opposed the proposal as there was a huge outcry over it. The Sena had said that it was a violation of the basic rights of people who wished to consume meat on those days. Subsequently, senior Sena corporator and party leader in the BMC, Trushna Vishwasrao, had moved a motion to reduce the period of the ban in Mumbai. The BJP, this year, seems to have taken a more cautious view on the meat ban issue. In the Mira Bhaynder Municipal Corporation, BJP leaders have decided to ban sale of meat for two days, citing government rules.