Ranchi:National President of Adivasi Sengel Abhiyan (ASA) and a two-time former BJP MP Salkhan Murmu have made it clear that they will be holding a day log "Chakka Jam" protest on February 11 under which they will halt trains and block vehicular movement. The protest will be against the alleged handover of Parasnath hill to the Jains by the Government of Jharkhand and the Central government.
Speaking to reporters in front of Morhabadi Bapu Vatika in Ranchi on Thursday, Salkhan Murmu said, "We are offering another chance to the government of Jharkhand, Central government and National Commission for Minorities between February 11 and April 11. As on February 11, we will be holding a day-long Chakka Jam and then after, from April 11 we will go for an indefinite protest. In between this, the governments have to take a decision. Otherwise, we will be forced to do something similar to the 'Babari' demolition done by Hindus for Ram Mandir by taking 1 lakh Sengal Sena to Parasnath hills."
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However, Murmu also claimed that he doesn't want something like this happens and that's why they also want to sort out the issue through dialogue. "On January 14 we sent a letter to President Droupadi Murmu in which we had written to start a multilateral dialogue as soon as possible and if needed a national-level commission should be constituted."
Salkhan further claimed that Jains are capturing the hill illegally and according to the judgement of the Privy Council, London in 1911, Santhals tribals have the first right to Parasnath hill as the hill is abode to their Lord "Marang Buru". Each year, the Santhals assemble on the full moon in the month of Baisakh to celebrate a religious hunt for three days.
It may be noted that this entry in the record of rights prepared in 1911 was challenged by the Shwetambar Jains, but the suit was dismissed by the then Judicial Commissioner and later by the High Court. When the matter was taken up with the Privy Council, it upheld the customary rights of the Santhals to hunt on Parasnath hill.
The two dominant sects of Jainism—Shwetambar and Digambar—have been caught in a legal tangle over nirvana bhoomi (salvation land) for the last 87 years. The Patna High Court rejected the exclusive ownership claims and narrow sectarian views within the community and in its judgment said that the shrine belongs to the Jain community as a whole.
