Jains conduct rally raising demands about holy sites

“On November 25, 2022, some anti-social elements damaged the ‘foot prints’ of Adinath Dada placed at a holy shrine in Rohishala village, situated near the Shatrunjay hill, also a holy site for the Jains. Various groups of the Jain community filed complaints On November 27, 29 and 30,” said Jainam Deora, a committee member of Samast Rajnagar Shri Jain Mahasangh Ahmedabad who participated in the rally.

The Jain community members also raised alleged illegal mining at Palitana.

Deora added that they also protested to drop any plan to develop Sammed Shikhar, a pilgrim site in Jharkhand, as a tourist site. He said that the demands were submitted to Resident Additional Collector of Ahmedabad.

The Jain protest has also got support from the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

Vinod Bansal, national spokesperson of the VHP said, “No pilgrim site, as well as beliefs and faith of a community can be hurt in the name of development of the site as a tourist spot. Any development should be done by keeping the identity of the site… A separate ministry should be made to deal with the development of holy sites…”

He added that the issue of Palitana should also be taken seriously by the state government and strict action should be taken against anti-social activity at such sites.