Row Over 'Mira-Bhayandar A Jain City' & 'Mini Rajasthan' Statement By BJP MLA

Mumbai: BJP MLA Narendra Mehta has once again courted controversy with remarks on the religious and cultural identity of Mira-Bhayandar, describing the city as a “Jain city” and “Mini Rajasthan”. He claimed that it has more than 33 Jain temples and also cited that the city’s MLA and mayor belong to the Jain community.

He was speaking at a Jain community event held in Thane on Tuesday to mark the death anniversary of Dada Gurudev. Mehta attended the event as the chief guest.

School advisory sparked controversy

His statement comes a few days after an advisory was issued by Seven Square Academy in Mira Road, a school founded by Mehta, asking students not to bring onion, garlic, potato, beetroot and other “kanda-mool” vegetables, as well as non-vegetarian food, during the Jain Paryushan period.

His recent remarks have once again triggered severe backlash from local outfits and a fresh political row, following which Mehta issued a clarification on Thursday and apologised, saying he had no intention of hurting the sentiments of any community or religion.

Mehta issues clarification

"This city belongs to the Agri-Koli community and it will remain so. The statement I made was during a religious event, where I was honoured by the community. It was not against any other community or anyone. No one should interpret it incorrectly,” Mehta said.

Emphasising his association with Maharashtra and the Marathi community, Mehta added, “Maharashtra has given me a lot. I am fully aware that Marathi people voted for me and elected me as their representative. If my statement has hurt the sentiments of any community or religion, I apologise for it," he said, speaking with the media.

He also argued that just as Naya Nagar (a locality within Mira Road) is frequently referred to as a "Muslim area" due to its large Muslim population, calling Mira-Bhayandar a "City of Jains" or "Mini Rajasthan" was simply a demographic observation and not an insult to any other group or the Marathi language.

Political parties object to remarks

His remarks have nevertheless once again triggered a row over Mira-Bhayandar's social and political identity. Parties like the MNS, Shiv Sena and Congress, along with local groups like the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, strongly objected to the remarks. MNS leaders argued that Mira-Bhayandar belongs to all communities—including the native Agri-Koli and Marathi populations—rather than just one group.

This is not the first time Mehta has triggered religious, cultural and political uproar.

Recent controversies involving Mehta

No garlic, onions and non-veg in school owned by him

In September 2026, Seven Square Academy in Mira Road, founded by Mehta and run by a trust headed by his wife, issued an advisory asking students not to bring onion, garlic and non-vegetarian food during the Jain Paryushan period. Mehta defended the circular, saying it was aimed at encouraging students to eat nutritious food.

Also Watch:

The “white strips” controversy for Jain monks

Earlier this year, at the time when several residential societies in Mumbai were protesting against white strips painted on roads/paths for Jain monks, Mehta defended the traditional practice, stressing his association with Jain religious practices.

Marathi vs non-Marathi traders controversy

In July 2025, Mira-Bhayandar witnessed a major confrontation over language and the treatment of Marathi-speaking and non-Marathi traders. Mehta commented on the competing demonstrations, questioning the non-Marathi traders' march's actual purpose. This led to an MNS leader publicly issuing a warning to Mehta.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/