Congress accuses BJP govt of maligning holy places of Jainism in Gujarat, Jharkhand to fill state coffers

Pawan Khera alleged that the BJP wants to make holy pilgrimage centres of Jainism a medium to fill the state coffers

The Congress on Thursday came out in protest against the BJP government's "attempts to transform" holy places of Jainism in Gujarat and Jharkhand as tourist destinations to fill state coffers, accusing it of hurting the sentiments of Jains.

Referring to recent protests by the Jain community across the country, Congress Media Department Chairman Pawan Khera said when his party is giving a clarion call for uniting India, the BJP's actions were spreading hatred among people.

He said the Jains, who have contributed "immensely to the economic progress" of India and inspired Mahatma Gandhi on non-violence and satyagraha, have been "betrayed" by the BJP, forcing them to come out on the streets in a peaceful manner.

Khera alleged that the BJP wants to make the holy pilgrimage centres of Jainism like Sammed Shikharji, Palitana’s Shatrunjaya hills and Mount Girnar as a medium to fill the state coffers.

He said that the then BJP government in Jharkhand had declared 'Sammed Shikharji' and 'Parasnath hill' as Eco Sensitive Zone (ESZ) in 2015 and decided to turn them into tourist destinations. Three years later, he said, the BJP government gave a "small concession" by banning vehicles there following protests.

In 2019, he said the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change under the Modi government declared an area of up to 25 km around the border of Parasnath hill and Topchanchi wildlife sanctuaries in Giridih and Dhanbad districts wildlife sanctuaries and notified it as ESZ.

He said that the tourism sector can be developed there but accused the JMM-led government of negligence in the last three years, which could hurt the site's sanctity or the sentiments of the Jain community, although policy-wise, the state government is bound by the Union government's decision.

Referring to the Gujarat government "where the BJP has a double-engine sarkar", Khera said that the BJP is making malicious attempts to pollute the sanctity of two pilgrimage sites -- Shatrunjaya hills and Girnar mountains.

Khera claimed that in Shatrunjaya hills, considered to be the most sacred pilgrimage centre of the Shvetambara Jain community, near Bhavnagar, the RSS and VHP have been demanding a change of management of 865 Jain temples and pilgrimage centres, which are over 900 years old.

"The reason for the Jain community's agony is also the illegal commercialisation going on under the patronage of the BJP government and illegal mining by the mafia. Recently, some anti-social elements also vandalised the ancient Charan Paduka," he said.

On the Gujarat government's plans to turn Girnar mountains into a tourist destination, Khera said if it becomes a tourist destination, it will not remain a place of pilgrimage but a commercial place to fill the government treasury.

He alleged that the government has not responded to peaceful protests by the community but a 'Special Task Force' has been constituted to stop the movement of the Jain community.