The Matri Sadan seer Swami Atmabodhanand who often makes news for taking up hunger strike in his continued protest against illegal mining on Ganga riverbed was arrested by police on Monday for throwing paper missiles at the Haridwar District Magistrate Deepak Rawat when he was about to be bestowed with Madan Mohan Malviya award at Rishikul Ayurvedic College.
Defending what the seer had done, the Matri Sadan spokesperson Brahmachari Dayanand said that the DM being instrumental in the continuance of illegal mining on Ganga riverbed did not deserve the award as the legend after whom the award was named waged a lifelong crusade for the maintenance of the sanctity of the holy river. The programme at which the incident happened was hosted to mark the birth anniversary of Madan Mohan Malviya and also to felicitate the DM for his ‘good work’.
Notably, Atmabodhanand had been forced to break his indefinite fast on its 39th day on December 7 as the district administration had had him admitted at Doon Hospital. However, since that day his mentor and Matri Sadan head Swami Shivanand has been on the fasting stir over the same issue of illegal mining on the Ganga.
Speaking on the matter, SP city Mamta Vohra said that police had lifted Atmabodhanand for creating nuisance under section 151 of the policing manual. Further, the senior superintendent of police said that Atmabodhanand had been arrested and would be presented before a court in due course of time.
Brahmachari Dayanand said that the seer was angered by the news of the DM receiving Madan Mohan Malviya award. “He reached the college auditorium to articulate his anger. He is quite justified as Malviya spent his life fighting the Britishers over the matter of saving Ganga whereas the DM here is allowing the mining mafia to rob the holy river of her resources with impunity,” he said. He further said that the seers were angry over the reports of police having beaten the Atmabodhanand after taking him into custody.
Matri Sadan had earlier demanded the removal of the present DM, citing his nonchalance over execution of the court’s order against illegal mining on the Ganga riverbeds.