Jain Community Wins Fight Against Jharkhand Government
The protesting Jain community has finally achieved victory after the central government has intervened and stopped the Sammed Shikhar from becoming a tourism site.
Sammed Shikharji, located on the Parasnath Hill in Giridih district of Jharkhand, is the biggest pilgrimage centre of the Jain community. Jains have always been a peaceful community and have never been involved in protests. But this time lakhs of Jains have been protesting for days against the Jharkhand Government because they have made the Parasnath Hill a tourism spot. We have released many videos about this, you can watch.
Now there is very good news for the Jain Community. Keep watching the video for all the information. In August 2019, the Union Environment Ministry had said that Parasnath Hill will be a eco-sensitive zone and only eco-tourism activities will be allowed. Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving responsible travel to natural areas, conserving the environment, and improving the well-being of the local people. Ecologically Sensitive Zones are the areas designated to protect the biodiversity and conservation of natural habitats for specific species. Then, in February 2019, the Jharkhand State Government issued a notification designating Parasnath Hills as a tourist spot. They allowed non veg, alcohol, drugs, etc. Jains fed up with the increasing incidents of tourists which is spoiling the religious area started protesting.
Now the Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren wrote to Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Bhupender Yadav. He asked him what the government is planning to do about the eco-tourism activities. But he smartly kept quiet and did not say anything about the state government’s tourism activities. He merely said that the February 2019 decision was made by the BJP state government in Jharkhand. And the current state government was just following that decision. He said the BJP government’s mistake can be rectified and asked the Central Government how to proceed. Now the Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav met with representatives of the Jain community. He assured them that the government is committed to maintain the sanctity of 'Sammed Shikharji Parvat Kshetra'. He has ordered to stop all tourism activities at the Parasnath Hill where the Jain religious site 'Sammed Shikharji' is located and directed the Jharkhand government to immediately take all steps necessary to protect its sanctity. He said, the state government should strictly enforce the ban on the sale and consumption of liquor and non-vegetarian Food items on Parasnath Hill. He said PM Modi has personally sent instructions which the state government has to follow.
Different Jain groups held a press conference to thank Prime Minister Modi for the decision. "Our concerns have been addressed and the issue has been resolved to our satisfaction," they said in a statement. The Central Government also implemented a management plan which will also prevent people from playing loud music or use loudspeakers; defiling sites of religious and cultural significance, such as sacred monuments, lakes, rocks, caves, and shrines; damaging flora or fauna; causing environmental pollution; committing injurious acts to forests, water bodies, plants, animals, or disturbing the natural tranquillity of such sites; coming with pet animals; and unauthorised camping and trekking on the Parasnath Hill. Jains across the country are overjoyed with the decision and many have been sharing this on whatsapp stories and social media.
