'Bahubali' is a deity, not a don, Chhattisgarh civil society writes to PM seeking legal ban on word's misuse

RAIPUR: Calling gangsters and local strongmen “Bahubali” must be treated as an "offensive and unlawful misuse" of a sacred name, Chhattisgarhs' Raipur-based civil society group has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi, arguing that the revered Jain deity Lord Bahubali cannot be reduced to a pop-culture label for goons and criminals.Chhattisgarh Civil Society has urged PM Modi to step in and stop the unlawful misuse of the name of Lord Bahubali — a revered Jain deity — for gangsters, mafia dons and criminal syndicates in media, popular culture and even official records.In a memorandum sent to the Prime Minister, the group has also requested that such usage be specifically listed as a punishable offence under the new criminal law framework of BNS, arguing that it violates religious sentiments and distorts a key symbol of India’s spiritual heritage. A copy has been sent to Union Home Minister Amit Shah as well.The organisation says Lord Bahubali stands for “the highest ideals of non-violence, penance, renunciation and self-restraint,” and is not only a central figure for Jains but represents “the moral and ethical core of Indian civilisation”.The letter expresses concern that in recent decades the word “Bahubali” considered sacred in Jain tradition — has increasingly been used as shorthand for strongmen, gang leaders and mafia figures in news reports, OTT crime dramas, social media and, in some cases, in administrative and police documents.Speaking to TOI, Dr Kuldeep Solanki, convenor of Chhattisgarh Civil Society, said Lord Bahubali is the son of the first Jain Tirthankara and the younger brother of Bharat.“This trend is deeply unfortunate. It undermines the dignity associated with Lord Bahubali and hurts the religious sentiments of the Jain community,” adding that such language normalises a negative lens around religious symbols and trivialises them in the public imagination.“Lord Bahubali is worshipped as an epitome of sacrifice, endurance and self-restraint. The world’s tallest monolithic statue is dedicated to him, and a grand anointment ceremony is held every 12 years. To use the same name casually for gangsters and mafia bosses is not just careless, it is deeply hurtful,” Dr Solanki said.He added that, according to Jain belief, Bahubali’s origin dates back thousands of years and his place in the faith is “next only to the Tirthankaras themselves”.“From the 1990s onwards, we started seeing ‘Bahubali’ being used for criminals in films, media and even government FIRs. For a community of more than 85 lakh Jains, this is a direct injury to our legacy and religious sentiments,” he said.“We have written to the PM and Home Minister that this should be categorised as a punishable crime. Just as abusive words are bleeped out on television and OTT platforms, there should be a similar safeguard when ‘Bahubali’ is used in a derogatory context for criminals,” Dr Solanki said.The group describes itself as a collective of academics, professionals and social workers engaged in “constructive interventions” in public life, raising what it calls “logical issues with practical solutions” before the state and the Centre.Calling it a “sensitive matter linked to social harmony, religious respect and the dignity of India’s cultural heritage”, the group said it was confident that the central government would give the issue serious consideration.