Jain community outrage spills on to streets after Mumbai temple demolition

Thousands of Jain community members marched in a silent but determined protest in Mumbai on Saturday, 19 April, expressing deep anguish over the recent demolition of a 90-year-old Digambar Jain temple in the city's Vile Parle (East). The peaceful demonstration, which started at the temple site and moved towards the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation () office in Andheri (East), was a powerful show of unity and grief from a community hurt by what they allege was an insensitive and unilateral civic action.

The temple, housed within the Neminath Cooperative Housing Society, had stood as a place of worship since the 1930s. Earlier this week, BMC officials razed the structure, claiming it stood on land reserved for a recreational ground. But the community alleges that the demolition was carried out in undue haste, even as legal proceedings were still active.

The temple’s managing committee said while a city civil court had dismissed their plea against demolition on 8 April, it had granted an oral stay to allow them time to appeal before Bombay High Court. Despite this, the BMC initiated the demolition on 16 April. According to the trustees, civic officials denied requests to safely remove sacred items and religious scriptures and instead began bulldozing the structure with immediate effect.

Anil Shah, one of the trustees, stated, “The officials ignored our pleas, climbed on idols, and threw holy books onto the street. This wasn’t just an administrative action — it was a violation of our religious sanctity.”

Jain community members protest in Mumbai on 19 April (photo courtesy: @vimal_shah/X)

The demolition has triggered nationwide outrage among Jains, with various religious leaders condemning what they describe as the state’s failure to uphold religious harmony and basic decency. Community members have demanded the immediate suspension of ward officer Navnath Ghadge, who oversaw the operation, and are calling for the temple to be rebuilt at the same location.

In a strong reaction, Rajesh Kumar Sethi, national coordinator of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) minority department, wrote to Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis demanding a full investigation into the actions of BMC officials. “This is not just about a structure. It’s about faith, sentiment, and accountability,” Sethi stated in his letter, calling the demolition “shocking” and “disgraceful”.

On Thursday evening, over 500 members of the Jain community gathered at another temple in Vile Parle to plan the way forward. The gathering was marked by calls for justice and concern about the broader implications of the incident on religious rights and civil processes in the city.

Bombay High Court, while addressing a separate case involving illegal constructions, recently criticised the BMC for its poor handling of urban planning enforcement. However, Jain leaders have stressed that historical and religious structures need to be treated with greater care, and demolition should never occur without due process and sensitivity.

The BMC has yet to issue an official statement on the Vile Parle temple demolition or the allegations of mishandling religious materials. Calls and messages to civic officials have gone unanswered.

As the protests concluded peacefully, the community vowed to continue its campaign for justice. What unfolded in Mumbai on Saturday was not just a march — it was a collective cry for respect, accountability, and the safeguarding of spiritual spaces in a secular democracy.