EXPRESSING GRAVE concern over the rising pollution in the holy Ganga river, the Shankaracharya of Dwarkapeeth Swami Swaroopananad said there was a possibility that sadhus would boycott taking a dip at Sangam during the forthcoming Ardha-Mahakumbh Mela in Allahabad in protest.
Addressing a meeting of Ganga Mahasabha in Varanasi on Tuesday evening, the Shankaracharya said that the rise in pollution level in the river was a matter of grave concern. “The pious ‘jal’ of Ganga is so much polluted that it has become difficult to take a dip in the water”, he said and added that there was possibility of Sadhus boycotting bath at Sangam water if the pollution level was not checked in Ganga.
State Minister of Uttaranchal and president of Akhil Bharatiya Ganga, Gai, Himalaya Bachchao Abhiyan, Maulana Masood Madni, said that his organisation would intensify its ongoing campaign to save the Ganga.
Imam of Tile-wali Masjid in Lucknow, Maulana Sayed Shah Fazale Rehman, said that the pious water was important for both the Hindu and Muslim communities.
He further added that Ganga was a gift of the Almighty to the human beings and no one had the right to stop the natural flow of Ganga.
{{/usCountry}}He further added that Ganga was a gift of the Almighty to the human beings and no one had the right to stop the natural flow of Ganga.
{{/usCountry}}He urged the Shankaracharya of Dwarkapeeth Swami Swaroopananand to lead the movement and bring the members of both the communities on one platform.
Other prominent people who addressed the meeting, included Maulana Yade Elahi, Satyendra Das, Dharmraj Das, former Justice Girdhar Malviya, former Member MP Shankar Prasad Jaiswal, former State minister Shatrudh Prakash etc.