Mumbai's Kabutarkhana Controversy: Monk's Hunger Strike Sparks Debate

The dispute surrounding the closure of pigeon feeding enclosures in Mumbai is set to escalate as Jain monk Nileshchandra Vijay plans a hunger strike starting Monday. He is protesting the shutdown of the Kabutarkhana in Dadar, a location considered significant for pigeon feeding.

Nileshchandra Vijay emphasizes the principle of 'jeev daya' (compassion towards life), integral to the Jain faith, as the driving force behind his protest. He insists on reopening the original Kabutarkhana and rejects the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) offer of alternate feeding sites as a temporary solution.

Monk Vijay has criticized the state government for not resolving the issue despite the Bombay High Court's directive. The community remains at odds with the BMC's actions, which include the installation of tarpaulin covers at feeding sites that led to protests and increased tensions in the Dadar area.