Mumbai: The Jain community in Mumbai staged heavy protests against the Jharkhand government's decision to declare the Shri Sammed Shikharji pilgrimage a tourist spot. People from the Jain community consider the Jain pilgrimage located in Jharkhand's Parasnath hills a sacred place, and have been opposing the Jharkhand government's decision for a long time.
The protest rally started from Mumbai Metro and will end at the Azad Maidan, where the prominent leaders supporting the cause will deliver the speech, said one of the organizers. "The government's decision hurt our sentiments. We don't want tourism revolving around a sacred place," said one of the protesters.
The protesters said they shall go on a hunger strike if their demands are not met soon. 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.
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Several other parts of the country saw similar protests in the past three days. Jain community members gathered in huge numbers and protested at the India Gate in Delhi on Sunday. Aligarh also saw a rally with a huge number of men and women with banners and posters marching from Ramlila ground as a part of protest. Huge rallies and protests were also seen in Maharashtra.
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Tuesday lambasted the center over the issue. Taking to Twitter, he said although the BJP has claimed that India is a heaven for minorities, there are several injustices that people from minorities are subjected to on a daily basis. "India is a heaven for minorities - BJP: Jain places of worship were targeted, Continuous attacks on Christians since Christmas, Buddhists and Shia on the road for full statehood in Ladakh, Sikh youth attacked in UP, Thousands of Muslims were made homeless in Assam and now they are going to be homeless in Haldwani," Owaisi tweeted.
