Huge protests in India over Jain pilgrimage site Sammet Shikharji

Shikharji, also known as Sammed or Sammet Shikharji, is a pilgrimage site for the Jain religion in India’s  Jharkhand state. Located on Parasnath hill, it is the most important Jain Tirtha (pilgrimage site) for both Digambara and Śvētāmbara sects of the Jain community. This is the place where twenty of the twenty-four Jain Gods known as tirthankaras attained Moksha (liberation of soul) along with many other monks. According to beliefs of the Jain community, Shikharji is ranked with Ashtapad, Girnar, Dilwara Temples of Mount Abu and Shatrunjaya as the ‘Svetambara Pancha Tirth’ or the five principal pilgrimage shrines.
 The tension has been fueling for a few weeks now within the Jain community after the Hemant Soren-led Jharkhand government has notified the pilgrimage site as a tourist destination. Members of the Jain community have been protesting in many parts of the country; in fact, a delegation even reached Delhi to hand over a letter to the President. Jains have been urging the Jharkhand CM to reconsider the decision. Several members of the Jain community protested in several parts of the country against the Jharkhand government’s decision of declaring ‘sacred’ Shri Sammed Shikharji a tourist place.
 Jains fear that the move to turn a religious site into a tourism hub could irredeemably alter the spiritual characteristics of the place and strip it of its divine significance. “It is a dangerous move because it sets a precedent for the governments to use religious sites for boosting their tourism revenue. The government exchequer is filled at the expense of the religious salience of a holy site,” said Kirti Vora, a member of the Anandji Kalyanji Trust, an esteemed body that looks after another sacred Jain pilgrimage centre in Palitana, Gujarat. “When a cultural site is thrown open to tourism, it not only results in the violation of its religious sanctity but also leads to the degeneration of the place and artefacts attached to it,” Vora said while highlighting the chronic vandalism of historical monuments caused by tourists. 
Mital Lalan, who is a Madurai based social media influencer working for Jain causes, there has been a massive protest in India against the decision. In fact, people of all ages and followers of other religions have also supported the protest. The declaration of tourist spot will encourage meat, alcohol, dance, music and several other activities at a place that is considered most pious by Jains, who have been one of the most peaceful communities throughout history spreading over several centuries.”
 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. The protests reached a crescendo on January 1, when thousands of Jains hit the streets demanding a rollback of the Jharkhand government’s decision. Notably, the Hindu rights organisation Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), extended support to the protesting Jain community. In a statement issued by the VHP, it is stated that the organization is bound to protect the sanctity of the pilgrimage sites of India. The entire Parshwanath hill should be declared a holy site (teerth), and no tourist activities involving meat or drugs should be permitted.