Mumbai erupts in clashes over pigeon feeding ban: Supreme Court backs High Court

Mumbai faces rising tensions as the Supreme Court upholds a ban on feeding pigeons, citing health hazards. Jain community protests turn violent, while Marathi groups threaten counter-demonstrations. With political factions potentially joining, fears of communal clashes grow. Authorities struggle to maintain order as defiance of court orders escalates. The battle over bird feeding reveals deeper cultural and legal divides in the city.

New Delhi: The controversy over feeding pigeons in Mumbai has deepened further. The Supreme Court has clearly refused to intervene in this matter and has asked the petitioners to approach the Bombay High Court. The bench of Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice Vijay Bishnoi not only rejected the petition but also expressed anger over the violent incident in the Dadar pigeon house.

The court clearly said that strict action should be taken against those who are forcefully feeding pigeons by ignoring the orders of the court, and a criminal case should be registered against them. The Supreme Court said in its decision that it would not interfere with the High Court order, in which feeding pigeons was said to be dangerous for health.

The court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take strict action against those who break the rules. Earlier, the Bombay High Court had also banned feeding pigeons, saying that it is a threat to public health and an activity that disturbs people. The High Court had ordered BMC to file FIR against those who feed pigeons in areas like Dadar and Churchgate.

However, people of the Jain community are angry with this decision and have started protesting. Recently, there was a violent clash outside the Dadar pigeon house, where the protesters tore the tarpaulin put up by BMC and forcibly fed the pigeons.

After this incident, the statement of Jain Muni Nileshchandra Vijay became even more controversial when he said that if the court comes in the way of their religion, they will not even listen to it. This statement has been criticized from many sides.

Now the situation seems to be getting more tense, as the Marathi Ekta Samiti has threatened to protest in Dadar on Wednesday against the Jain community. They have demanded a complete closure of the pigeon house.

If this protest takes place, political parties like MNS and the Thackeray faction can also join it, which has created a danger of increasing communal tension in Mumbai. The police have not yet been able to take a clear stand on this protest. In such a situation, if both the parties come face-to-face, then the situation may worsen further.