E-Paper
Ganga pollution: Sadhu tries to end life
THE DHARNA staged by saints under the banner of Akhil Bharatiya Ganga Pradooshan Mukti Abhiyan Samiti at the Sangam took a serious turn today when a dandi swami of Vimaldevashram Varanasi jumped into the Sangam to take Jal Samadhi. He was however rescued by saints standing nearby. The swami took this extreme step because of the government's failure to clean the Ganga which has remained polluted although the Ardha Kumbh mela was only a few weeks away.
THE DHARNA staged by saints under the banner of Akhil Bharatiya Ganga Pradooshan Mukti Abhiyan Samiti at the Sangam took a serious turn today when a dandi swami of Vimaldevashram Varanasi jumped into the Sangam to take Jal Samadhi. He was however rescued by saints standing nearby. The swami took this extreme step because of the government's failure to clean the Ganga which has remained polluted although the Ardha Kumbh mela was only a few weeks away.
Meanwhile, Samiti and Akahara Parishad have threatened to boycott the first royal bathing or Shahi Snan on the Makar Sankarti on January 15, 2007 if their demand for a clean Ganga with ample water was not fulfilled.
At the hour long dharna at Sangam, Shankaracharya Swami Vasudevanandji and Hari Chaitany Brahamchari, president of Ganga Mukti Abhiyan Samiti, Swami Mahant Das and Gauri Shankar Giri Mahrarj president and general secretary of Akahara Parishad also decided to boycott Shahi Snan and even threatened to take Jal Samadhi if things did not improve later on.
Earlier, on the request of Vasudevanandji the saints took a decision to give a chance to the state government to make Ganga pollution-free between December 25 and January 14, 2007, at least during the Ardh Kumbh considering the High Court directives in this regard. It may be mentioned that these saints had decided to take Jal Samadhi on December 25. Dandi Samaj national president Swami Vimaldevashram said that enough time had elapsed since the demand was raised by saint fraternity. Onkar Nath Tripathi spokesperson of Samiti said that saints might take any unprecedented action.
