Jharkhand: Sammed Shikharji won't be converted into tourist site
The Centre and Jharkhand government have made the decision that the Sammed Shikharji will remain a pilgrimage site for Jains and not be turned into a tourism hub, National Commission for Minorities chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura said on Wednesday. On Tuesday, the Commission held a hearing on the issue, where the state government confirmed that it will release an official order soon.
Why does this story matter?
Members of the Jain community have been opposing the Hemant Soren-led government's decision to turn Sammed Shikharji into a tourist destination in an attempt to promote religious tourism. Located on Parasnath Hill in Jharkhand's Giridih district, Sammed Shikharji is the most significant pilgrimage center for Jains. As a result of today's decision, Lalpura claimed that the Jain community is at peace now.
Sammed Shikharji will remain a pilgrim place
Speaking at a press conference, Lalpura said, "Regarding the issue of Sammed Shikhar in Jharkhand over which the Jains were protesting, the Centre and the Jharkhand government have decided that it will remain a pilgrim place." "Alcohol or meat will not be allowed there. We intervened in the matter and we thank the Centre and the Jharkhand government for heeding our recommendation," he added.
Centre stayed all tourism activities at Parasnath Hill
Previously, the National Commission for Minorities had revealed that it received numerous representations from the Jain community on converting the Shri Sammed Shikharji Hill into an eco-tourism site by the Jharkhand government and the central dispensation. On January 5, the Centre stayed all tourism activities at Parasnath Hill and instructed the state government to immediately take all required steps to protect its sanctity.
Bhupender Yadav's meeting with representatives of Jain community
Furthermore, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav also met with numerous representatives of the Jain society regarding the matter and guaranteed that the government is committed to conserving the holiness of 'Sammed Shikharji Parvat Kshetra.' Yadav had also said that it is not just a holy site for the Jains but also for the entire nation, reported the news agency PTI.
Jains have been protesting across India over Sammed Shikharji issue
Since the government's decision to turn Shri Sammed Shikharji into a tourist destination, the Jain community has been protesting in numbers in different parts of India. On January 11, members of the community organized a rally to the Collector's office in Telangana from Feelkhana Jain Temple. Earlier, protest rallies were seen in Delhi, Mumbai, and other parts of the country too.
