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Tribals hold stir to declare Parasnath as pilgrimage site
Hundreds of people from various tribal communities in Jharkhand marched to Parasnath hills — home to Sammed Shikhar, a holy site for Jains — in Giridih district on Tuesday, reiterating their demand to announce the place as a tribal pilgrimage centre as well
Hundreds of people from various tribal communities in Jharkhand marched to Parasnath hills — home to Sammed Shikhar, a holy site for Jains — in Giridih district on Tuesday, reiterating their demand to announce the place as a tribal pilgrimage centre as well.
Tribal community members, who had gathered at Madhuban in Giridihfrom different parts of the state, raised slogans against the Centre as well as the state government. They also burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chief minister Hemant Soren and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) legislator from Giridih, Sudivya Kumar.
“The authorities need to announce the place as a pilgrimage centre of the tribals as well, as this has been Marang Buru (sacred mountain) for ages and even government documents prove it,” said Sikander Hembrom, convener, Parasnath Bachao Shangharsh Samiti, a forum created by tribal communities to press for their demand. “We demand that this place be declared our pilgrimage centre as it was in the 1911 and 1956 gazette notifications.”
Tribal leader Lobin Hembrom, the JMM legislator from Borio constituency in Sahibganj district, said the fight for their rights will continue.
“If our demands are not met, we would hold a protest at Ulihatu (Birsa Munda’s birth place) on January 30 and at Bhognadih (part of CM Hemant Soren’s assembly constituency Barhait in Sahibganj) in February,” said Lobin, who has been critical of his own government in the past as well over different issues.
Protesters marched over a kilometre from the protest site at Madhuban police station ground to the Jug Jater Than (place of worship for tribal communities) in the foothills of Parasnath hills, performed prayers there, before returning to the protest venue. All shops on the protest route remained shut for most part of the day.
Following countrywide protests by the Jain community against Parasnath being developed into a tourist place, the Union government last week stayed all ecotourism activities at Sammed Shikhar, which is considered as one of the biggest pilgrimage destinations for both sects of Jainism — the Digambaras and the Svetambaras — as it was here that 20 of the 24 Jain tirthankaras (spiritual teacher) attained “moksha” or salvation. The Centre also directed the state government to strictly enforce an existing ban on sale of liquor, other intoxicants and non-vegetarian food in the Parasnath Wildlife Sanctuary area.
Reacting to the protest and demand, JMM leader and Giridih legislator Sudivya Kumar said it was being sponsored by people with “vested political interest”.
“I had convened a meeting of all stakeholders in presence of the deputy commissioner at Madhuban on January 8. It was attended by members of both the Jain and tribal communities,” said Kumar. “It was decided that status quo would be maintained at Parasnath and there would no change in the age-old customs and practices of both sides. No side would lose anything Everyone had agreed to it. But still, people protested today (Tuesday). It is being done by people with vested political interest.”
