Jains had no role in forceful opening of pigeon feeding spot in Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister Lodha

The agitators had recently forcibly removed a tarpaulin cover to offer grains to the pigeons. File Pic/Sameer Abedi

Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Thursday claimed that the Jain community members had no role in the protest at a popular pigeon feeding spot in Mumbai, reported the PTI.

The agitators had recently forcibly removed a tarpaulin cover to offer grains to the pigeons.

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He clarified there was no religious angle to the pigeon feeding issue.

While removing the tarpaulin cover, put up by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) at the Dadar Kabutarkhana to discourage the practice of feeding grains to pigeons, the protesters also clashed with police on Wednesday morning, according to the PTI.

Mangal Prabhat Lodha, who holds the skill development portfolio and also functions as Mumbai suburban district guardian minister, said that he is being unnecessarily dragged into the raging controversy over feeding of pigeons in public places in the metropolis, and the protest, the news agency reported.

"It is wrong to blame me for the incident of a crowd forcefully opening the Dadar Kabutarkhana and offering grains to pigeons," he told reporters.

The BJP leader emphasised he has never done anything to harm society and called for maintaining a balance between safeguarding public health in view of medical risks linked to pigeon droppings and ensuring the survival of the birds.

"The protest staged yesterday (in Dadar) was wrong, but Jains had no role in it. There is no religious angle to the issue and it is wrong if such an angle is being given," the minister stated, as per the PTI.

After cops dispersed the protesters, Mangal Prabhat Lodha visited the spot on Wednesday and condemned the agitation, saying police will take appropriate action in the matter.

The BMC decision to ban public feeding of pigeons in view of health hazards associated with the practice and close Kabutarkhanas has led to a controversy. People who feed pigeons have challenged the civic body's decision in the Bombay High Court.

Meanwhile, Lodha also criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his allegations of large-scale poll irregularities.

"Rahul Gandhi is trying to spread anarchy and sow distrust in people's mind about the country's constitutional institutions. It is wrong to challenge the Constitution and institutions," the BJP leader opined.

(with PTI inputs)