Bengaluru: Jain community files police complaint after Hindi posters at prayer hall ransacked

An FIR has been lodged on the basis of a complaint filed by the Jain community in Bengaluru against some alleged pro-Kannada activists who created ruckus at a Jain prayer hall in the city.

Complainants alleged that the incident took place on Friday evening when a few people forcefully ransacked posters written in Hindi on the entrance of a Jain prayer hall.

The Jain community has also claimed that the miscreant vandalised the photo of their religious guru.

Taking cognisance into the matter, the Jain community brought the issue to the knowledge of police and lodged a complaint at Commercial Street Police Station in Bengaluru.

DCP Bangalore East said: "Incident came to our notice last night. On Friday, around five to six people had damaged the flex put outside the Jain temple (the flex was about the programs for the next four months written in Hindi). A case has been registered."

The Jain community downloaded the video of the incident and provided the same as evidence to the police.

A person from the Jain community on condition of anonymity said, "The miscreants insulted our religious leader by tearing the pictures. The miscreants have hurt our religious sentiments."

An investigation in the matter is underway.

BJP MP from Bangalore South, Tejasvi Surya took to Twitter and said, "Deeply hurt over attack on our Jain brothers in B'luru over Hindi on a banner of a temple by few rowdy elements. They however never question the use of 'rb~ (Arabic) in Bengaluru. Assaulting peaceful Jains who contribute to Karnataka brings infamy to genuine Kannada lovers and activists."

In another tweet, the BJP's youngest MP urged young Jains in Karnataka to use Kannada in their communications and learn the history of great poets and their contribution in Kannada.

"Many great poets like Pampa, Ponna and Ranna are known as Ratnatraya or three gems of Kannada literature were Jains. Very beginning of Kannada literature is Jaina Yuga. Therefore, I urge today's young Jains in Karnataka to learn this history and also use Kannada in their communications," he said.