ILLEGAL OCCUPATION AT GIRNAR TIRTH
It is most unfortunate to learn that the fifth peak of Mount Girnar, declared as 'Digambar Jain Siddh Kshetra', located close to Junagarh town in Gujarat, the holy and sacred place of Deeksha, Keval gyan and finally Moksh of the 22nd Jain Tirthankar, Shri Neminath Bhagwan has been recently occupied illegally by the Hindu Mahants and fanatics and a Hindu idol has also been installed on this peak. The condition of Girnar Kshetra has been thus deteriorating day by day and there is no action from the Government side to stop and remove the unauthorised and totally illegal occupations. The entire Jain community should feel concerned about this happening and take appropriate action at whatever levels, necessary. The Civil Court of Junagarh had earlier given an stay order on any construction work at this place on a petition filed by the local mahants in the year 1984 and the cases had been withdrawn by the mahants in the year 1996. When tha Hindu mahants again tried to take up construction in April, 2004, Gujarat High Court was moved by the Digambar samaj and a stay order was again passed. However, in spite of the stay orders, illegal occupation has been resumed by the mahants. It is therefore necessary to condemn the illegal and unethical communal act aimed at destroying the ancient character of the revered place of worship and to request the Government to remove all illegal construction and statue erected there so as to restore originality and sanctity of the place. Shri Nirmal Kumar Sethi, President of the All India Digambar Jain Teerth Sanrakshini Mahasabha has also taken up the matter with the Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Narendra Modi and requested him to immediately intervene in the matter.