Showing posts with label Jains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jains. Show all posts

Monday, October 24, 2022

Today Is Diwali; NYC Schools To Recognize It

Today is Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights which is also celebrated by some Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists. As reported by CNN, last Thursday New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced that starting next year, Diwali will be a public school holiday in New York City.  In order to keep the same number of school days in the academic year, state legislation has been introduced to allow New York City public schools to no longer celebrate Anniversary Day as a holiday. Anniversary Day (also known as Brooklyn-Queens Day) is variously described as celebrating the opening of the first Protestant Sunday School on Long Island or the founding of the Brooklyn Sunday School Union in 1816.

UPDATE: Here is President Biden's statement sending greetings for a happy Diwali.

Tuesday, September 01, 2015

India's Supreme Court Suspends and Grants Review of State Court Decision Outlawing Santhara

BBC reports that yesterday India's Supreme Court agreed to review a decision of the Rajasthan High Court that held Santhara, a traditional Jain practice of starving oneself to death to attain salvation, is suicide under India's Penal Code. (See prior posting.) The Supreme Court suspended the Rajasthan court's judgment while the appeal is in process.

Tuesday, August 11, 2015

Indian Court Bars Jain Practice of Santhara As Suicide

In India, the Rajasthan High Court, acting on a public interest petition, held that Santhara, a traditional Jain practice of starving oneself to death to attain salvation (background), is suicide under the Indian Penal Code. Thus Sec. 306 outlawing abeting of suicide and Section 309 outlawing attempted suicide apply. The court said in part:
The respondents failed to establish that Santhara is an essential religious practice without which the following of Jain religion is not permissible.
According to the Calcutta Telegraph, the activist who filed the suit says: "... Santhara is a way devised by the family to get rid of the economic burden of caring for its elderly." Jain organizations say they will appeal the decision.

Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Indian Government Gives Jains Formal Minority Status

Business Standard and Times of India report that on Monday India's Cabinet granted a long-standing demand of the Jain community and formally declared Jains to be India's sixth minority community. (Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Zoroastrians already have that status.) The move will allow Jains to share in government funds allocated for welfare programs and scholarships for minority communities, and will allow Jains to manage their own educational institutions. The move could also raise again the debate over whether Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists should have their own Personal Laws in India. Currently under a provision in the Constitution they are subject to the Hindu Personal Law.