Jain monk Nileshchandra Vijay has temporarily put on hold his indefinite hunger strike, which was scheduled to begin on August 13, following initial talks with the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s office regarding the recent ban on feeding pigeons at Dadar’s kabutarkhana (pigeon feeding spot).
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Vijay said he had decided to wait for a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. “We are expecting a meeting in three days. We do not believe in merely dropping a letter. We want a clear, face-to-face communication with him to present all our grievances about feeding the innocent pigeons who have been dependent on grains and water at the kabutarkhana for years,” he said.
The religious leader, however, made it clear that the pause was temporary. “Yes, I had announced that I would sit on an indefinite hunger strike from August 13 against the ban. After discussion, we decided to wait for three more days. If there is no positive response from the meeting, we will take a call accordingly. I will not stop,” he asserted.
Mr. Vijay has also issued a warning to the State government that if the ban is not lifted within a week, he will resume the protest along with one lakh members of the Jain community from Mumbai. “The government must fear that the BMC election is coming up. If they would continue their unconstitutional harassment towards innocent pigeons, none of us from the Jain community will vote. We will boycott the upcoming civic elections in protest,” he added.
