Sammed Shikharji: Centre, J'khand govt have decided to not convert pilgrimage place into tourism hub, says NCM Chief

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New Delhi: The Centre and the Jharkhand government have decided that the Jain site of Sammed Shikharji will remain a place of pilgrimage and not be converted into a tourism hub, National Commission for Minorities chairperson Iqbal Singh Lalpura said Wednesday. He said the Commission held a hearing on the matter on Tuesday where the Jharkhand government assured that it would issue an official order soon.

"Regarding the issue of Sammed Shikhar in Jharkhand over which the Jains were protesting, the Centre and the Jharkhand government have decided that it will remain a pilgrim place," Lalpura said at a press conference here. "Alcohol or meat will not be allowed there. We intervened in the matter and thank the Centre and the Jharkhand government for heeding our recommendation. We had a hearing yesterday and it was decided that it would not be turned into a tourism place and will remain a religious place," he said. The Jain community is at peace now with this decision, Lalpura added.

He said the authorities concerned in Jharkhand have been NCM advised to review the government notification to add the word "holy/religious" so that the sanctity of the area can be maintained. "We have recommended that the word 'tourist' be replaced in the government order. In principle, a decision has been taken that this will remain a place of pilgrims and the word 'tourist' will be replaced by another suitable word," Lalpura said. He said the date of the next hearing has been fixed, but if the orders of the Jharkhand government come, then that will not be required.

This will resolve the long-pending demand of the Jain community, Lalpura added. The National Commission for Minorities (NCM) had said earlier that it received various representations from the Jain community regarding the conversion of the Jain pilgrimage site Shri Sammed Shikharji Hill into an eco-tourism hub by the Jharkhand government and the central dispensation.

The Centre had on January 5 stayed all tourism activities at Parasnath Hill where the Jain religious site of Sammed Shikharji is located and directed the Jharkhand government to immediately take all steps necessary to protect its sanctity. The development came after Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav met various representatives of the Jain community over the issue and assured that the government is committed to maintain the sanctity of 'Sammed Shikharji Parvat Kshetra' which is a holy place not only for the Jain community, but for the entire country.

Sammed Shikharji, located on Parasnath Hill in the Giridih district of Jharkhand, is the biggest pilgrimage centre of the Jain community. Members of the community have been protesting against the state government's move to promote religious tourism at Parasnath Hill. In August 2019, the Union environment ministry notified an eco-sensitive zone around the Parasnath Sanctuary and approved eco-tourism activities in pursuance of the proposal submitted by the state government.