Gujarat government accords minority status to Jain community

Gujarat Government on 7 May 2016 accorded minority status to the Jain community by issuing a government resolution (GR) to this effect.

The decision to accord the minority status to the Jain community was taken by Chief Minister Anandiben Patel.

Highlights

• The decision has nothing to do with reservations and the new status will benefit the poor among the Jain community as they can avail of various scholarships, government welfare schemes.

• Jain institutions will get special status like the one given to Christian and Muslim institutions in the state.

Earlier in January 2014, the previous UPA Government at the Centre had conferred the minority status on the community at the national level. Other five communities that has been granted the status of minority are

• Muslims

• Christians

• Sikhs

• Buddhists

• Parsis

The decision comes within a week of the state Government awarding 10 percent reservation to the economically backward class among the upper castes in the face of Patel (Patidar) community's agitation for OBC quota.

About Jain Community and its start

At present about 50 lakh (as per the census 2001, Jain community is about 0.4 percent of total Indian population) people are a part of Jain population in India. The community is considered as a prosperous group because maximum of its population is a business group traditionally.

Jainism originated as a religion by 24 Thirthankaras. Rigveda have the reference of the first Thirthankara named Rishabha. The last two Thirthankaras were Parasvanath (23rd) and Vardhamana Mahavira (24th). Parasvanath died at the age of 100 years, hot enlightment at the age of 30. Mahavira was born in 540 BC in Kundagrama, near Vaisali in North Bihar and got enlightment at the age of 42 and died at the age of 72 years in 468b BC in Rajgir in Bihar by self-starvation.

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