Jain Kirti Stambh at Ellora to remain 'as it is'

Success in follow-up: Decision in a meeting with the union minister of tourism and culture Dr G Kishan Reddy and director general of Archaeological Survey of India in Delhi

Aurangabad, March 31:

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Thursday finally put an end to the move to remove the Jain Kirti Stambh at Ellora. It was decided to keep the Stambh ‘as it is’ in a meeting with the union minister of tourism and culture Dr G Kishan Reddy, Minister of state for finance Dr Bhagwat Karad and director general of the ASI in Delhi on Thursday.

The delegation of Sakal Jain Samaj was assured that the order in this regard would be sent to ASI Aurangabad circle soon. The ASI Aurangabad circle superintendent office had initiated the removal of the Kirti Stambh. A statement was issued to union minister of state for finance Dr Bhagwat Karad by the Sakal Jain Samaj under the presidentship of Rajendra Darda, Editor-in-Chief of Lokmat. Dr Karad had promised to hold a meeting with the ASI officials in Delhi in this regard. Meanwhile, a delegation from the Sakal Jain Samaj met the union minister of tourism and culture Dr G Kishan Reddy and submitted a statement of demands. He had also promised not to remove the Kirti Stambh by recognizing the social sentiment.

The delegation, which arrived in Delhi to keep the Jain Kirti Stambh ‘as it was’, was assisted by Vijay Darda, Chairman, Editorial Board, Lokmat Newspaper Group. The delegation met union minister of tourism and culture Dr G Kishan Reddy along with Dr Bhagwat Karad on Thursday. Understanding the sentiments of the community, he held a meeting with ASI director general V Vidyavathi through video conferencing and ASI ADG Alok Tripathi. In the meeting, Dr Karad and MLA Prashant Bamb presented the social sentiments about Kirti Stambh to the officials and requested a written notice to the Aurangabad ASI superintendent office regarding the cancellation of the proposal to remove the Jain Kirti Stambh and keep it as it was. It was approved by director general V Vidyavathi, said Vardhman Pandey. President of the Shri Parshwanath Brahmacharya Ashram (Jain Gurukul), vice president of Sakal Jain Samaj DB Kasliwal, Sanjay Papadiwal, Harshvardhan Jain were present. The news of the success of the follow-up is being welcomed with joy everywhere on the backdrop of Bhagwan Mahavir Jayanti.