Medha Patkar lends support to Haridwar seer who is fasting to save River Ganga
She also expressed displeasure over the government not adhering to directives of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal regarding ensuring sanctity –unhindered flow of sacred Ganga and conservation of ecology saying whether Ganga, Bhagirathi or Narmada every river needs to be saved.
Social activist Medha Patkar has extended her support to the ongoing fast of Haridwar-based Matri Sadan seer Brahamchari Atmabodhanand.
In a communiqué to Matri Sadan on Friday, Medha Patkar urged newly appointed Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat and Jal Shakti minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to take cognisance of the agitation by Brahamchari Atmabodhanand for the last 17 days.
Medha Patkar urged central and state government to instantly look into the demands of the Matri Sadan seer --- of scrapping of hydro power electric projects on Ganga and its adjacent tributaries, prohibition of quarrying on Ganga river bed, enactment of Ganga Act and shifting of all stone crushers from the Ganga river bed.
She also expressed displeasure over the government not adhering to directives of the Supreme Court and National Green Tribunal regarding ensuring sanctity –unhindered flow of sacred Ganga and conservation of ecology saying whether Ganga, Bhagirathi or Narmada every river needs to be saved.
Initially Brahamchari Atmabodhanand, since February 23 when he started his agitation was relying on water, salt, honey and lemon intake but for the past five days has shunned water intake also as part of intensifying his agitation.
The young seer, who is a graduate in computer science from Kerala, came into contact with Matri Sadan founder Swami Shivanand Saraswati during his spiritual sojourn to the revered shrine of Badrinath in 2014.
Despite having lost nearly five kgs since he started his agitation, Brahamchari Atmabodhanand reiterated that he won’t give up his agitation until his demands are met. His demands are the same as that of late Swami Nigmanand, Swami Gyan Swarup Sanand who gave up their lives for the cause of the holy Ganga, ecology and society.
Brahamchari Atmabodhanand had last staged 41 days of agitation in February-March 2020, on similar demands while prior to that he had been on a record 194 day agitation from October 2018 till May 2019.
Swami Shivanand Saraswati has asked new chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat to take cognizance of Matri Sadan ashramite’s agitation saying when seers are agitating rulers can’t stay happy referring to the ouster of Trivendra Singh Rawat from the CM’s post blaming him for ignoring the seer’s agitation when he was chief minister.