Another Jain monk who was on an indefinite fasting against Jharkhand government’s decision turn the fame Shri Sammed Shikharji shrine into a tourism spot lost his life on Thursday night.
Muni Samarth Sagar died in the Jain temple at Sanganer, in Jaipur. He had been fasting against the Jharkhand government’s decision since December 25. This is the second such death in four days, after Muni Sugyeya Sagar breathed his last protesting against the same issue.
As per reports, he lost his life at about 1.17 am (local time) in Jaipur.
While the central government halted all the activities at the site, the Parasnath Hills in Jharkhand, the monk was too weak due to fasting.
Protests erupt against Jharkhand government’s decision on Shri Sammed Shikharji
The deaths come in the wake of countrywide protests by the Jain community against the Jharkhand government’s move to develop Shri Sammed Shikharji as a tourism centre, a decision that members of the Jain community and their monks believe would chip away at the region’s spiritual significance and make way for the commercialisation of a pilgrim centre from where 20 out of the total 24 Tirthankaras of the current cycle attained salvation.
Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, New Delhi, Surat, and many other cities saw large crowds of Jains protesting against the Jharkhand government’s decision to promote religious tourism at Parasnath Hills, claiming that it would tarnish the sanctity of Shri Sammed Shikharji. The protests have continued this week, with thousands of protesters in several cities across the expanse of the country hitting the streets and demanding a rollback on the Jharkhand government’s decision.
Centre issues directive halting all activities at the site
In wake of nationwide protests by the Jain community against the Hemant Soren government’s decision to turn Shri Sammed Shikharji Tirth in Jharkhand into a tourism hub, the central government has issued directives to halt all such activities in the larger Parasnath Hills. The revered pilgrimage site of the Jain community is located in these hills.
Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav took to Twitter to share information about the same. “Met Jain community members who have been urging to protect the sanctity of Sammed Shikhar. Assured them that PM Shri @narendramodi ji’s government is committed to preserving and protecting the rights of Jain community over all their religious sites, including Sammed Shikhar,” the Union Minister Tweeted.
