The protest by the lobby demanding facilitation of riverbed quarrying appeared to escalate when the protesters attempted to gherao Matri Sadan Ashram founder Swami Shivananda and his disciple on Thursday.
However, the police stopped the rallying protesters at the Jagjeetpur crossing before they could reach the ashram where Shivananda’s disciple Atmabodhananda has been on a hunger strike for the last ten days demanding complete ban on quarrying on the riverbed in Haridwar and extension of Kumbh area. The VHP leader Sadhvi Prachi who is actively opposing Shivananda’s stance was purported to have fractured a bone during the tussle between the police and protesters.
A protest by people earning from quarrying activities has been on for about a month under the banner of Khanan Chugan Samiti.
On the other hand the disciple of Shivananda, Atmabodhananda has been on a hunger strike for the last ten days demanding complete ban on mining and extension of Kumbh area so that ganga can be saved from mining mafia. In the tussle, between the protestors and the police, Sadhvi Prachi allegedly got her hand fractured.
On Thursday noon, led by Sadhvi Prachi, when the supporters of mining tried to reach Matri sadan, they were halted by police. So they blocked the highway and did sloganeering for quite some time but due to heavy police force they could not enter the ashram premises. The pro-miners alleged that no one had come to ask for their well being when they were on strike while administrative officials regularly approached Swami Shivanand for medical check-up.
Speaking to The Pioneer, Sadhwi Prachi said, “I was going to Matri sadan to speak to Swami Shivanand with hundreds of poor women who are left unemployed and living in poverty when I was stopped by the police. They were going to do lathi charge on the people and when those women tried to pull me towards their side, I got my hand fractured in the tussle.”
Parchi added that her sole purpose was to meet Shivanand and convince him not to be ruthless to the thousands who are dependent on the mining business. “If Shivanand swami is really concerned about the ganga river why does he not react to the sewer drains falling in ganga, why is he only bothered about mining in the ganga river bed”, added Prachi.
The woman ascetic also said that extension of Kumbh area was under the prejudice of Akhara saints and not Swami Shivanand.
Speaking to The Pioneer, president of Crushers Association said, “Today we were going for a dialogue with SHivanand that why he was against these innocent people. Our ladies of the village were asking as to what development was taking place in mining issue so we asked them to accompany us and plead to Shivanand themselves but were not allowed to reach his ashram.”
While Swami Shivanand said that the chief minister Harish Rawat himself was responsible for this scenario. “I was anticipating an attack by the mining supporters today. I demand the arrest of the stone crusher owners and the assailants on Matri sadan within 24 hours.”