Jains take out rally in Hyderabad against conversion of holy places

HYDERABAD: The Jain community held a massive rally in Hyderabad on Wednesday protesting against the Union Government’s decision of converting two of their holy places into tourist spots.

The leaders of Jain Samaj submitted a petition against the Central Department of Tourism, the Jharkhand Government and the Gujarat Government, to the Collector. The letter read that the Jain community opposed the decision of converting two of their pilgrimages – The Palitana temples located on Shatrunjaya hills near Palitana in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat and Sammed Shikarji, one of the holiest places for the Jains, on Parasnath mountain in Jharkhand, into tourist destinations.

They demanded that the Central and respective State Governments withdrew their decisions immediately.

The rally was organised from Begum Bazaar’s Feelkhana Jain temple via Ange market till the Hyderabad Collector Office in the early hours of Wednesday.