You chose #Jain_Jihad. Not Society Dispute. Not Common Area Concern. Jihad.
That word was not chosen accidentally. It was chosen to trigger. To provoke. To cast a peaceful community ; one whose entire religious identity is built on Ahimsa .. as an aggressor. As a threat.
Jains do not have armies. They do not have political militias. Their monks do not carry weapons โ they do not even carry shoes. Using the word "Jihad" for white paint on a footpath is not criticism. It is targeted communal incitement. Now, the actual complaint โ let's address it point by point.
1. "Permanent white oil paint"
This is either a factual error or a deliberate exaggeration โ and given the hashtag you chose, it is worth asking which one.
The paint used on pathways is traditionally the same category of material used in whitewashing walls across India for centuries. It is water-permeable, non-toxic, and weathers off naturally within a few months without any manual removal. Look at your own photographs carefully. The existing tiles beneath the paint are completely intact. No surface has been damaged. No structure has been altered. What you are showing the world is a white strip on a footpath โ not a construction, not a permanent installation, not a takeover.
2. "Religious practice forced on us by altering common space"
Let us look at what is actually in your photographs. There is a white painted strip on a walking pathway. That is all.
- No road has been blocked.
- No gate has been locked.
- No signage excludes any resident.
- No structure has been built.
- No community has been prevented from using the space.
The pathway remains fully accessible to every resident of every faith. The paint does not demand anything of you. It does not require you to follow any religious practice. It does not ask you to change your diet, your dress, your schedule, or your beliefs.
3. The practical benefits โ which every resident shares
Setting aside the religious dimension entirely, this practice has real, demonstrable benefits that are available to all residents regardless of faith:
Cooler surface temperature: White surfaces reflect sunlight rather than absorbing it. In Maharashtra summers, where ground temperatures on dark surfaces can exceed 55โ60ยฐC, a white-painted walking path is measurably cooler underfoot. This benefits elderly residents, children, and anyone who walks barefoot โ Jain or otherwise.
Inhibits algae and moss growth: Lime-based paint has natural antimicrobial properties. It prevents the growth of algae, moss, and slippery microorganisms on walking surfaces โ making the path safer for everyone, particularly during monsoon season when wet surfaces become hazardous.
4. On being a "victim"
Victimhood is a serious claim. It deserves a serious standard. Victims of actual religious coercion face job loss, social exclusion, violence, displacement, destruction of property, and denial of basic rights. Communities across India โ of many faiths โ carry those wounds.
You are describing white paint on a footpath in a housing society. Calling yourself a victim of "Jain Jihad" for this does not just trivialize your own complaint โ it trivializes the real suffering of genuine victims of communal violence and religious persecution. That is not a small thing.
A final word โ on harmony,
Jains have lived in Maharashtra since centuries - They have funded hospitals, established educational institutions, contributed to trade, scholarship, and civic life. You responded with #Jain_Jihad and tagged a political party and a TV news channel. That tells us considerably more about the nature of this dispute than the photographs do.
Raising a legitimate housing society concern is your right. Weaponizing it with communal hashtags and media amplification is a choice..I hope you will choose differently next time.
#jainism
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@mannmarzi29@sarpame@ShakthiRGandhi@BJP4India Bro most of us don't need any benefits. Yes there are some %age that do require and they should rightfully avail and get but the main reason of minority status was to prove/show the distinction