The voice of saving the existence of Sammed Shikhar echoed in Delhi too, Jain community sitting on fast unto death

Sammed Shikhar Latest News: The Jain community is constantly opposing the decision of the Jharkhand government and the central government to declare Sammed Shikhar, the pilgrimage center of the Jain community, as a tourist destination. Now the people of Jain community have become vocal on this issue even in the country’s capital Delhi. In Delhi’s Rishabh Vihar Jain Temple, Sanjay Jain and Ruchi Jain have sat on fast unto death Protest. Both say that if the status of Sammed Shikharji is not made a religious place, then he would prefer to die than to live.

‘Declaring a tourist spot is cheating with Jains’
On this issue, Sanjay Jain, president of Vishwa Jain Sangathan, said that a ball is being thrown between Jharkhand and the central government on both sides. This is not acceptable. If the Jharkhand government brings out both the gazettes, we would definitely fight with the Jharkhand government. Now on 20 and 23 December, the Forest Ministry has written a letter to the Jharkhand government that you had made this recommendation. My question is that when the center has issued both the preliminary and final gazettes, why can’t you amend it. Objection suggestions were not taken inside the initial gazette notification. This is cheating and conspiracy with Jainiya. There is a conspiracy to loot our pilgrimage, there is a conspiracy to loot the entire mountain by claiming that a part is ours. Who are the people behind the conspiracy? Let the government find out about it. He further said that the Jharkhand government should declare Sammed Shikharji as a holy Jain pilgrimage site. He further said that mining is being done on our mountain kingdom. Mountain secrets are cracking. We demand that the mountain should be protected environmentally, it should be declared a holy Jain pilgrimage site.

‘The status of a tourist place is like a noose around the neck’
Ruchi Jain, who is fasting with Sanjay Jain, said that he should make Tirth Raj a tourist destination while we all are religious. What is the guarantee of tomorrow that Vaishno Devi and Amarnath will not be made tourist places on the lines of this. Non-vegetarian is being sold there. What shortage of money did the government have that this is happening? CM of Jharkhand says that there is a possibility like Shimla Kasol. What else is nowhere. Sammed Shikharji is our life. There is already a noose around our neck. We should not live in that society, in which there is no importance of Teerth Raj Sammed Shikhar. Our fast will go on until the government gives it in writing that the whole area is a holy place of Jain society. This decision of the government is a slap on the face of the Jain community.

Sammed Shikhar is the favorite land of Jains.
Sanjay Jain, president of Vishwa Jain Sangathan, says that the highest peak Raj is the land of salvation of our Tirthankara. An attempt has been made to defile it. This became possible because there is no protocol. Check Post, Police Barrier No CCTV Camera. There is no registration. In February 2018, the then Jharkhand government had recommended to the Government of India to declare Sammekh Shikhar, Parasnath Hill and Madhuvan as eco-sensitive zones.

News Reels

‘We do not accept gazette notification’
In the year 2019, the Union Forest Ministry issued a gazette notification. Union Forest Ministry did not publish it in two leading news paper and regional news paper. Because of which no one in our Jain community came to know about it. 16 people who are not of Jain religion. On his request, it was notified on 5 August. He further said that how can Jain society accept non-religious activities like fish farming, poultry farming, widening of roads, plying of vehicles at night in eco-sensitivity? It is written in this gazette that a part of Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary is considered a pilgrimage for Jains. I say that 49.3 radius is called Vanraj, a part of it is said to be of Jains. That whole mountain kingdom is ours since time immemorial.
We met Forest Minister Bhupendra Yadav on 6 April 2022 for this. Got only assurance from the Forest Minister. It was also taken into cognizance by the Minorities Commission, but no action was taken for 8 months. From 11 December 2022, we started this movement from Ramlila Maidan. Today the whole country is agitated over this issue.

‘Government should reconsider its decision’
Please tell that the issue of Sammed Shikharji is basically related to making it a tourist destination. People say that Sammed Shikharji is a religious place. It cannot be converted into a tourist place. Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais has also written a letter to Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupendra Yadav regarding allowing Sammed Shikhar ji, a holy place of Jainism, to remain a place of pilgrimage. He said in this letter that ‘this matter is related to the sentiments of Jain society. Keeping this in mind, this topic should be reconsidered. The Ministry of Environment has declared it a wildlife sanctuary and placed it in the eco-sensitive zone. At the same time, Jharkhand Government (Soren Government) has declared it as a tourist area. For some time, complaints of consumption of meat and alcohol are being received in this area. This is the biggest pilgrimage site for the Jains. On declaring it as a tourist destination, the followers of Jainism believe that this will disturb the sanctity of this area.

Read also: Watch: BJP MLA accused of assaulting MCD’s sweeper, video goes viral, AAP calls attack