Protest in Vijayawada against Jharkhand govt's move to declare Shri Sammed Shikharji a tourist place

Members of the Jain community on Thursday staged a protest in Vijayawada against the decision of the Jharkhand government to declare the Shri Sammed Shikharji a 'tourist' place.

"We do not want Shri Sammed Shikharji to be declared a tourist place. Our Jain Mandir is so pure that anybody can visit it," a Jain community member said.

Protests are being held in several parts of the country against the Jharkhand government's decision.

A massive rally was organized by members of the Jain Community in Mumbai on Wednesday. More than 1 lakh people joined the rally against the government's decision.

"The government's decision hurt our sentiments. We don't want tourism revolving around a sacred place," said one of the protesters to ANI.

The protesters said if their demands are not met, they would go on a hunger strike in Maharashtra.

Similarly, in Aligarh, a massive rally was carried out from Ramlila ground. The rally comprised both men and women in huge numbers, who protested with banners and posters against the decision.

The protestors in Aligarh said that they want to express their displeasure with the decision, and they will continue to protest till the government rolls it back.

Notably, Jain saint Muni Sugyeya Sagar, who was sitting on an indefinite hunger strike protesting the government's decision, died in Rajasthan's Jaipur on Tuesday.

On January 1, the Jain community gathered in huge numbers and protested at the India Gate in Delhi against the decision.

Shri Sammed Shikharji, is a sacred Jain pilgrimage site located at Parasnath Hills in Jharkhand, which was recently declared a tourist spot by the Jharkhand government.

( With inputs from ANI )