Two days after priest Sugyeyasagar Maharaj on a hunger strike against the move to declare JharkhandтАЩs Jain pilgrimage site Sammed Shikharji a tourist place, another priest began his fast in protest at JaipurтАЩs Sanghiji Temple.
тАЬI will not have anything except a liquid diet till the decision related to Sammed Shikharji is not withdrawn,тАЭ said Samarthsagar, 74, as he sat on his hunger strike.
Rajasthan Jain Sabha general secretary Manish Baid called hunger strike a right of the priests. тАЬSammed Shikharji is a place of salvation for them and today that is in danger.тАЭ He said protests against the move across the country were intensifying.
Top police officers rushed to Sanghiji Temple and spoke to community leaders as Samarthsagar announced his fast. тАЬThere is no law to stop them. In their religion, they have the concept of giving up the body for salvation…they stop eating. They are not protesting or sitting on a dharna,тАЭ said a police officer.
On Wednesday, Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot spoke to his Jharkhand counterpart, Hemant Soren, who assured him of a solution soon.
Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Tuesday wrote to Union tourism minister G Kishan Reddy over the matter. тАЬThe community has been deeply hurt by the declaration of Sammed Shikharji as a tourist destination by the Ministry of Tourism. Jains are dissatisfied with the approach of the Central Government on this religious, emotional, and sensitive issue…тАЭ
He added Jains were agitating against this decision.тАЭ…I request that keeping in view the public sentiment, the Central Government should reconsider the decision to declare Shri Sammed Shikharji a tourist destination.тАЭ
