Tirath Yatra Yojana: Jains allege biased approach by government

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, November 25

National body of the Jain community, Shri All India Shwetamber Sthanakwasi Jain Conference, has alleged that the SAD-BJP coalition government was using partisan approach in the implementation of Chief Minister Tirath Yatra (pilgrimage) Yojana, announced recently.

Amrit Lal Jain of the Jain Conference said the state cabinet while approving the plan ignored a minority religion like Jain since they do not form a formidable vote bank.

He said the state was sponsoring Sikhs, Hindus and Muslims to undertake pilgrimage to their holy places across the country, but the Jain community was not included.

He said Jains as a separate religious entity had been accepted by the state and Union governments yet this treatment was meted out to them.

He added that the Jain community had contributed immensely in the industrial, trade and business development in Punjab. He said they were contributing maximum VAT and other taxes for the development of the state. Besides, Jains were running highest number of charitable hospitals, schools and other social welfare institutes, he added. He said a majority of beneficiaries of these charitable projects were non-Jains.

Reference of separate Jain religion was found in the ancient texts of the country. The community has its presence 13 states of the country, he added.

Amrit Lal said the 24th and the last Tirthankar (prophet) Lord Mahavira was born 2,613 years ago and before him 23 Tirthankars enlightened the world with the message of universal peace and harmony. The pilgrimage centres of the community were situated in Gujarat, Bihar and other parts of the country, he added.

He reasoned that personally he did not like the government sponsoring people to undertake pilgrimages. However, the government was supporting followers of several faiths then why to ignore a single community.