BJP wants to 'commercialise' pilgrimage centres of Jainism: Congress

The Congress on Thursday said the BJP wants to commercialise the pilgrimage centres of Jainism in the country accusing it of hurting the sentiments of the communityThe Congress also demanded that the notification issued by Jharkhand government for acquiring the sacred mountain of Sammed Shikharji which was done by the previous Raghubar Dasled BJP government be withdrawn immediatelyCongress leader and former Union minister Pradeep Jain Aditya and party spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters here that the BJP wants to commercialise the holy pilgrimage centres of Jainism like Sammed Shikharji Palitanas Shatrunjaya hills in Gujarat Mount Girnar also in Gujarat and make them a medium to fill the state coffersAlso read BJP govt arming locals to create atmosphere of fear hatred in Jammu amp Kashmir Mehbooba MuftiThey said the Congress party is committed to protect all religious places under the Constitution of IndiaThe Congress leaders claimed that people of the entire Jain community are today protesting on the streets against the BJP governments earlier decision to acquire the holy mountain site in Jharkhand and promote ecotourism there which is being opposed by the community as the mountain is sacred to themAs the notification has been issued by the Centre it should be withdrawn immediately they saidToday the BJPRSS has betrayed the Jain community which has contributed immensely in the countrys growth and adopted the policy of nonviolence but the ruling dispensation has deeply hurt their sentimentsPeople of Jain society from all over the country are agitated as lakhs of people from the community are holding peaceful agitations in many cities The previous BJP government of Jharkhand and Modi government jointly declared Giridih the Nirvana Bhoomi salvation site of 20 Jain Tirthankaras and the most important pilgrimage centres of Jainism Sammed Shikharji and Parasnath hill as ecosensitive zone and decided to turn it into a tourist destination Aditya saidHe alleged that in Gujarat where the BJP has a double engine government the BJP is making malicious attempts to pollute the sanctity of two pilgrimage sites of the Jain communityThe first site is the Palitanas Shatrunjaya hills near Bhavnagar where RSSVHP members have been persistently demanding change of management of 865 Jain temples and pilgrimage centres which are over 900 years old This site is considered to be the most sacred pilgrimage centre of the Shvetambara Jain communityThe reason for the agony of the Jain community in Palitana is also the illegal commercialization going on under the patronage of the BJP government of Gujarat and illegal mining by mafias on the Shatrunjaya hills there Recently some antisocial elements also vandalized the ancient Charan Paduka in the ancient 3 Gauki holy pilgrimage route in Rohishala Shatrunjay due to which the people of the Jain community there are deeply hurt and are registering their peaceful protest daily through the streets and social media he allegedAditya claimed that the second place the Girnar mountains near Junagadh is considered sacred for the Jain community which is the karmsthali of 22nd Jain Tirthankar Bhagwan Neminath ji and the BJP government has announced to make it a tourist destinationIf it becomes a tourist destination it will not remain a place of pilgrimage it will become a commercial place to fill the government treasury which is against the beliefs of Jainism The Jain community is protesting in many cities of Gujarat including in Ahmedabad Surat and Vadodara But the Gujarat government whose home minister himself belongs to the Jain community has not responded On the contrary a special task force has been constituted to stop the movement of the Jain community he saidWhy is BJP continuously taking steps to hurt the sentiments of Jain people Is this under a well thought out political conspiracy Didnt BJPs Gujarat government insult and demean Jain pilgrimage places Khera askedWill the Modi government withdraw its notification declaring Parasnath Hills and holy Shikharji as ecosensitive zone and converting it into a tourist destination If not is it not a violation of Article 25 of the Constitution Is this Modis Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas the Congress leader askedAditya also said the Congress has given a clarion call of Bharat Jodo and leaders of the Jain community had met Rahul Gandhi during the Bharat Jodo Yatra and handed over a memorandum to himThe Congress party stands with the Jain community and respects their sentiments and will strive to protect their holy pilgrimage centres he saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever