New Delhi: Agitated over the Gujarat government's move to club them with Hindus, Jain leaders have cited a letter written by the Government of first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru that contained an assurance that the community's distinct religious character would be protected.
Circulating the letter to the media, the Digambar Jain Mahasabha said as far back as 1950, it was clear to the government that Jainism was a separate religion and not part of Hinduism.
It is this Mahasabha which has decided to launch a protest against Gujarat's anti-conversion law that clubs Jainism and Buddhism with Hinduism.
The letter, written by a then prime minister’s office official to community leaders, read, "I am desired to say that there is no cause whatever for the Jains to have any apprehensions regarding the future of their religion and community."
The letter numbered 33/94/50-PMS, which is in the Mahasabha's Possession, was written in response to concerns expressed by a Jain delegation that met Nehru to request him to take care of the community's interests while framing the Constitution.
"There is no reason for thinking that Jains can be considered as Hindus. It is true that Jains are in some ways closely allied to Hindus and have many customs in common, but there can be no doubt that they are a distinct religious community," said the letter written by Nehru's principal private secretary A V Pai.
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