He says the Jain community promised to help sort out the matter after local women complained about the sadhu walking in the nude in Dadar, but no action was taken.

In a move that could ruffle some feathers in the Jain community, the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) has lodged a police complaint against a Jain sadhu for walking in the nude in the Dadar area of central Mumbai.

Sandeep Deshpande, MNS corporator from Dadar and leader of the in the municipal corporation, lodged a complaint with the Shivaji Park police station this Tuesday. He had lodged two complaints previously, in October and November 2013, regarding the same issue. Deshpande has, however, not named the ascetic or his community in the complaint letter written on his letterhead.

"More than 100 women have complained to me in writing about the issue. I am not against any religion at all. But, they should understand that many women find it obscene and are embarrassed to see a nude sadhu roaming on the roads," Deshpande told Firstpost. The ascetic belongs to the Digambar sect of Jains, a small group of ascetics,

Deshpande claimed that he had raised the issue last year too. "Then, the community leaders promised me that they will ask the sadhu to stop roaming in the area. But, he has again started roaming in the area for the past few months which is why I am forced to lodge a complaint against him," added Deshpande.

The Jain community has termed the complaint 'absurd' saying it's their religious practice. "The sadhus have religious vows to move around and they are not making any vulgar gestures. It is the guilty mind that thinks it is wrong. It is the religious practice and the minorities have a right under the Constitution to profess and propagate their religion. It is very absurd that somebody has filed a complaint but there is no provision in the law to take action in this case," said Dhanpal Solanki, a lawyer who has worked on various issues concerning Jains and minority groups.

Deshpande, meanwhile, has demanded that the police should take appropriate action in the matter. "The police should take action as per the law at the earliest. Or else, the MNS will take action against the sadhu in its own style and the police will be responsible for it," warned Deshpande.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhananjay Kulkarni confirmed that the complaint had been received. "We are carrying out the investigation in the matter and appropriate action will be taken," said Kulkarni.