Jain monk Nileshchandra Vijay on Monday began a protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, opposing the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision to shut down the Dadar Kabutarkhana — a site where the Jain community has traditionally fed pigeons for decades.
Before starting his indefinite fast near the BMC headquarters, the monk told reporters that his demand was simple — the restoration of the historic Kabutarkhana, which holds deep religious and cultural significance for the community.
The protest comes in response to the civic body’s recent move to allow controlled pigeon feeding only at four alternate locations — Worli Reservoir, Lokhandwala Back Road mangroves in Andheri West, the Airoli-Mulund check post area, and Gorai ground in Borivali West. The BMC has clarified that feeding will be allowed only between 7 am and 9 am, with non-governmental organisations managing the sites. It also termed the arrangement temporary until the expert committee’s recommendations and court orders are received.
Criticising the decision, Vijay said the alternate sites were too far from Dadar. “The sites are 4 to 9 kilometres away. Will pigeons fly that far? The administration should have chosen a site within two kilometres of the existing Kabutarkhana,” he argued.
Drawing parallels with other public movements, he said, “If Manoj Jarange can protest for his community, why can’t I protest for the welfare of animals? If I’m asked to leave Azad Maidan, I’ll continue my fast at Dadar Kabutarkhana itself.”
The monk demanded that the BMC permit feeding at Dadar for two hours each in the morning and evening, similar to the alternate sites. He also said the Jain community was ready to raise funds to purchase land if the civic body allotted a new location.
“The Kabutarkhana is over a hundred years old — it’s the pigeons’ home, and we have a moral duty to protect it,” he said, adding that since the closure, the pigeon population had declined drastically. “More than one lakh pigeons have died since the feeding stopped. Community volunteers now treat around 50 to 60 injured or sick pigeons daily.”
Vijay emphasised that his agitation would remain peaceful. “We are protesting for the pigeons — they are messengers of peace,” he said.
Earlier, the Jain community had staged demonstrations across Mumbai after the BMC closed pigeon-feeding enclosures following a Bombay High Court order. While many residents supported the move citing health concerns from pigeon droppings, Jain groups expressed deep anguish over what they described as an assault on religious tradition.
Tensions first escalated in August when community members tore down tarpaulin covers installed by the civic body at Dadar Kabutarkhana. The BMC, however, refused to reverse its decision. Jain monks even organised a prayer meeting for pigeons that reportedly died after the closure, urging the government to reopen the site.
Meanwhile, local groups like Aamhi Girgaonkar have backed the ban, holding placards that read “Kabutar Go Back to Marwad Rajasthan,” arguing that human health must take precedence over religious custom.
