Taking the cause-which saw the noted environmentalist Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand sacrificing his life-forward, a Matri Sadan ascetic Brahmchari Atmabodhanand has written a four-page letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that he would start his fast unto death from October 24. In the letter, he demanded immediate and complete ban on mining in Ganga riverbed in Kumbh Nagar Haridwar and scrapping of all hydro-power projects operating on Ganga and its tributaries.
The copy of the letter has been sent to many others, including the Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister for drinking water Uma Bharti, MP from Haridwar Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ and RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
Addressing the media persons at Matri Sadan ashram in Jagjeetpur on Tuesday, Brahmchari Atmabodhanand said, “We have categorically told the PM in the letter that Matri Sadan would continue the crusade undertaken by Swami Sanand. We would not allow his sacrifice to go in vain.”
The founder of Matri Sadan Swami Shivanand said that they were shocked to be informed that the Government had not acted on the fast of Sanand because it was ‘ek admi ki jidd’ (stubbornness of one man) according to it. “Nothing can be more unfortunate in a democracy than this nonchalance on the part of the Government,” he said.
Notably, Atmabodhanand had started a fast on October 30 last year with a seven-point charter of demands which included steps to make the stone crushers to comply with the norms laid down by the Central Pollution Control Board.