Sammed Shikharji is not a tourist place; The decision was finally canceled after strong protests by the Jain community. A to Z Counsel

New Delhi : Sammed Shikharji will remain a Jain pilgrimage area and it will not be converted into a tourist destination, the Center and the Jharkhand government have taken this important decision, said Iqbalsingh Lalpura, chairman of the National Commission for Minorities, on Wednesday. The commission took up hearing on Tuesday or case by case. Jharkhand government has assured that an official order will be issued soon in this regard.

The Jain community would have organized strong protests across the country to declare Sammed Shikhar in Jharkhand as a tourist destination. The Central and Jharkhand governments have decided to keep the pilgrimage area, Lalpura told the press conference. ‘Tethe or non-vegetarian permission will not be given. We would have intervened in the matter. Yesterday there was a hearing on it. We would like to thank the Central and Jharkhand governments for paying attention to our recommendation’, he said. Jain society has expressed its solution regarding this decision.

Many requests would have been received from the Jain society by the Jharkhand Government and the Central Government against the conversion of the Jain pilgrimage center Shri Sammed Shikharji into an eco-tourism hub. On 5th January, the Central Government informed that Shikharji is a religious place where Parasnath Tekdivar is located, all tourism activities there would have been postponed. The Jharkhand Government has already given instructions to the Center to take all the necessary steps to protect its sanctity, the Minority Commission has given this information. Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav would have met various representatives of Jain society on this subject. After assuring that the government is committed to maintain the sanctity of the Sammed Shikharji mountain area, the next thing happened.

Sammed Shikharji of Parasnath Tekdivar in Giridih district of Jharkhand is the biggest pilgrimage center of Jain society. In August 2019, the Central Environment Ministry would have notified the area around Parasnath Sanctuary as eco-sensitive, and according to the proposal presented by the state government, recognition would have been granted to eco-tourism ventures. There would have been strong opposition from the Jain community only because of the decision of the state government.