Ganga Fast: Sant Gopal Das critical on 121st day of fast

New Delhi: Another associate of late Prof G D Agrawal (Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand)-- a young saint Brahmchari Atmabodhanand-, has announced to sit on indefinite hunger strike for pollution-free and richly flowing Ganga on October 24 even condition of Sant Gopal Das continued to be serious at PGI Chandigarh on 121st day of his fast on Monday.

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Informing the Centre of his resolve, the Brahmchari (22) on Sunday sent a four-page letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The young saint has stated that Prof Agrawal died while fasting for his demands for a clean river, another fasting saint Sant Gopal Das is critical following his 4-month long hunger strike for the sacred cause.

“If the government continued to maintain its apathy towards the stir and implementation of commitment by you(PM) even after sacrifice laid by  Prof Agrawal and 121-day long fast by Gopal Das, I have no option but to sit on hunger strike on Wednesday”, he wrote to the Prime Minister.

He also expressed regrets over reported stance of the government that described, undue and individual stubborn attitude of late Agrawal as root cause for stir and the prevailing deadlock.

He stated that it is not the stubborn attitude of an individual but the conflict between the government's insistence on imposing pure economic model based projects on the Ganga and saints' fight for preserving spiritual character of “Maa Ganga” and Gangtava of its pristine water(Ganga Jal).

Three saints from our Matrisadan ashram have already sacrificed their lives for the cause over recent years and we are determined to keep this “Ganga-Tapashya” going on, the Brahmchari wrote.

Meanwhile, a Ganga march was organised in Banaras on Sunday for paying tributes to late Prof Agrawal and generating awareness among people for the stir. The march, participated by local leaders of main political parties, began from the Town Hall passed through main roads before culminating in a meeting at the Rajendra Prasad Ghat.

Former MP Rajesh Mishra, former Uttar Pradesh minister Surendra Patel, AAP leader Sanjiv Singh, Swami Avimukteshwanand, Waterman Dr Rajendra Singh and many dignitaries attended the programme.

The speakers at the meeting paid tributes to Agrawal and held the Centre responsible for his death amid hunger strike. “Apathy” of the government towards his stir and failure in implementing the promises made by PM Modi before elections in 2014, led to death of the octogenarian Ganga warrior, they concluded. (UNI)