Protests emerged in various areas in Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad over the Jharkhand government’s decision to turn the feared Shri Sammed Shikharji into a tourist attraction. In New Delhi on January 1, a Jain group sent a letter of protest to the President.
According to the community, the protest was also in response to the vandalism of Gujarat’s Palitana temple.
Maharashtra | Members of the Jain community protest in Mumbai against the Jharkhand government’s decision to declare ‘Shri Sammed Shikharji’ a tourist spot and vandalize their temple in Palitana, Gujarat pic.twitter.com/FPYIKKTv0E
— ANI (@ANI)
January 1, 2023
Thousands of members of the Jain community protested in Delhi at India Gate with banners and posters to protest against turning Shikarji into a tourist attraction. Locals in Mumbai marched from South Mumbai’s VP Road to Kranti Maidan. The Jain community also organized a protest in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Shikarji protest
Shri Sameed Shikharji is located in Giridih district of Jharkhand. It is located on the state’s highest mountain, Parasnath Hills. Both Digambara And Svetambara consider this the most important Jain Tirtha (pilgrimage site), as this is where twenty of the twenty-four Jains Tirthankaraalong with many other monks, was achieved Moksha.
Temples on Mount Abu Shikharji, Ashtapad, Girnar, DilwaraAnd Shatrunjaya are collectively referred to as “Svetambara Pancha Tirth” (five main pilgrimage temples).
At Shikharji, in front of the statue Parshvanatha, Acharya Shantisagar took Brahmacharya oath.
As part of the Tourism Policy launched in July last year, the Jharkhand government officially announced its decision to turn the temple into a tourist destination. The sanctity of the sacred temple is under threat and protests by the Jain community have begun since then.
Destruction of Palitana
The protest against vandalism was sparked by a leaked CCTV footage in December showing some miscreants vandalizing the steps and pillars of the temple in Palitana, Shatrunjaya hills.
According to the local Jain community, there have been illegal encroachments on Shatrunjaya hills and the Jain community has protested, calling for a ban on illegal mining and illegal liquor sales as they consider Palitana a city sacred.
Protesters in Delhi are demanding to meet President Droupadi Murmu to meet their demands.
I talked to today @kishanreddybjpMinister of Tourism and Culture in New Delhi, regarding the issue of Sammed Shikharji. He promised to support the Jain community by writing a letter to the External Affairs Minister that the place should not be declared a tourist spot.#sammedshikharji #SaveShikharji pic.twitter.com/GL1KWGrIL8
– D. Veerendra Heggade (@HeggadeD)
December 22, 2022
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn