Marathi Ekikaran Samiti activists gather at kabutarkhana to support feeding ban; detained

Mumbai: Police on Wednesday detained several members of the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, including its head, as they staged a demonstration at a 'kabutarkhana' in Mumbai's Dadar area in support of the ban on pigeon feeding, officials said.

A group of activists of the pro-Marathi outfit gathered around 11 am at the kaburtarkhana (pigeon feeding area) where heavy security was deployed to avoid any untoward incident, they said.

Marathi Ekikaran Samiti's president Govardhan Deshmukh was among those detained by the police.

As members of the organisation held the demonstration, several of them were detained and placed in a police vehicle, an official said.

Deshmukh tried to speak to the police personnel present at the spot amid the huge crowd, demanding action against those who protested at the kabutarkhana on August 6.

As the police detained the Maratha Ekikaran Samiti supporters, Deshmukh asked the security personnel why no case was registered against the alleged Jain community members for protesting at the kabutarkhana on August 6.

Police then detained Deshmukh and placed him in the police vehicle along with the other demonstrators, the official said.

On August 6, a large number of protesters removed the tarpaulin cover, put up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at the Dadar kabutarkhana to discourage the practice of feeding grains to pigeons, and also clashed with police.

Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha later claimed Jain community members had no role in the protest at the popular pigeon feeding spot.

He had clarified there was no religious angle to the pigeon feeding issue.

The BMC on Sunday again covered the kabutarkhana with plastic sheets.

A person, who was part of the Marathi Ekikarana Samiti's demonstration on Wednesday, said they gathered at the kabutarkhana for a "peaceful" demonstration in support of the ban.

Some members of the Jain community have defied the court orders, he claimed.

The community is known as peace-loving, but some people speak about weapons, which is also not expected, he said.

"We came here to demonstrate peacefully and not to violate rules, and will not put burden on police," one of the demonstrators said.

On August 7, the Bombay High Court said it had not passed any order directing the closure of kabutarkhanas in the city, but only refrained from staying the closure order of the municipal corporation.

A committee of experts can study whether the old kabutarkhanas in the city should continue, but "human life is of paramount importance", it said.

If something affects the larger health of senior citizens and kids, then it should be looked into. There has to be a balance," the court had said.

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to intervene in the HC's order directing the BMC to book people feeding pigeons at kabutarkhanas.

Jain monk Muni Nileshchandra Vijay on Monday warned of launching an indefinite hunger strike from August 13 against the decision to shut down pigeon feeding spots. He asserted the community would not abide by court orders if it went against their religious practices.

“If necessary, we will also take up arms for religion,” he said.