Jain Community Lodges Complaint Over Offensive Social Media Remarks Against Monks

Karkala: A prominent Jain community organisation has lodged a formal complaint with Karkala Town Police, seeking legal action against individuals accused of making derogatory and inflammatory remarks about Jain monks on social media platforms.

In a letter addressed to the Station House Officer of the Karkala police station, Sheetal Jain, President of the Sanmitra Jain Association (R.), alleged that a video clip featuring offensive commentary about Jain religious teachings had been circulated online. The video, reportedly posted on the Facebook page of Asianet Suvarna News, included remarks made by a person identified as Girish Mattannavar.

Reacting to this video, another individual — Chandrakrishna Shetty from Bermattu — allegedly shared a highly objectionable post on his personal Facebook account, referring to a Jain monk in vulgar terms. According to the letter, Shetty described the monk as a "man without shame" and falsely accused Jain monks of justifying crimes, including sexual violence. “Nīnēnta puṭt gosiyū illada muni mārāya... ondu Hindu heṇṇina atyācāravannu samarthane māḍuva bevarsi munigalu” (“a monk without even a shred of dignity… a disgraceful monk who justifies the rape of a Hindu woman”), the letter quotes.

“These statements are not only derogatory but are a direct affront to the religious sentiments of the Jain community,” the complaint reads. “Jain monks are revered figures who have renounced worldly life for the sake of universal welfare. Such remarks cause immense mental anguish and religious hurt to our community members.”

Calling the statements an attack on the dignity of ascetics who are widely respected for their spiritual conduct and non-violence, the association urged the police to initiate legal proceedings against the accused under relevant sections of the law pertaining to religious insult and promoting enmity.

The police have acknowledged receipt of the complaint and are expected to initiate a preliminary inquiry. No FIR had been filed at the time of reporting.