Hundreds of members of the Jain community took out a rally in Ahmedabad on Sunday, seeking action against anti-social elements allegedly desecrating the sacred Shetrunjaya Hills in Gujarat's Bhavnagar district.
Led by religious heads of the community, hundreds took part in the rally and walked for 3 km, demanding action against illegal mining activities, liquor dens and encroachment of government land on the hills.
Situated on the banks of Shetrunji river around 164 feet above sea level, Shetrunjaya Hills near Palitana city are home to 865 Jain temples and is a holy place for Shwetambara Jains.
Members of the community have held more than 85 rallies in different parts of the state ever since the "charan paduka" of a Jain saint was vandalised at a temple on the hills on November 26 last year, the secretary of a Jain trust in Ahmedabad said.
The community also handed over a memorandum with a list of demands at the district collector's office, he said.
All the demands are related to illegal activities and the state government should not find it hard to tackle them, said Pranav Shah, secretary of Samagra Jain Swetambar Murtipujak Tapagachh Shree Mahasangh of Ahmedabad city.
The community is demanding action against illegal mining on the hills that is desecrating the sanctity of the region and has flagged the issue of illegal construction, he said.
Hand carts and shops along the roads should also be removed and hooch dens that have cropped up in the area need to be shut, Shah said.
"All illegal activities in the hills such as mining and land grabbing should be stopped and the hills should be mapped to remove illegal construction these are our main demands," Shah told PTI.
"We have created a road map for the development of Palitana and nearby areas with the help of the administration. Jain communities from across India can work in this direction," he said.
(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
You’ve hit your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Quarterly Starter
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online
Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app