Martyr’s day was observed at Matri Sadan ashram at Jagjeetpur on Wednesday in the memory of Swami Nigamanand, a disciple of Swami Shivanand, who had died on June 13, 2011 while fasting to save Ganga from the clutches of the mining mafia. The crusader for Ganga had died after being on the fast for more than 100 days. Ganga lovers from different places gathered at the ashram premises on the day to pay homage to one who laid down his life while fighting to protect the sacred river’s sanctity. Swami Shivanand on the occasion appealed to the people to follow his ideals and save Ganga as things have not changed a bit for the better since Swami Nigamanand made the supreme sacrifice. Four- day memorial programme is being organised by the ashram inmates.
Addressing the gathering of the people, the Matri Sadan head Swami Shivanand said, “Seven years ago, the young ascetic sacrificed his life while fighting for Ganga and protesting against the illegal mining in the river. Ganga is the lifeline of many and the people of Haridwar bank on the river either directly or indirectly for their livelihood. But the river remains endangered thanks to some greedy people. As far as the death of Nigamanand is concerned many State level and district officials were involved. We presented evidences in the court that Nigamanand was killed and that was why the Government tried all means to scuttle a fair probe,” he said. He, further, slammed the Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat for being insensitive when he himself had been on fast on the same emotive cause. “The Government of the time had scuttled the probe.
They had incited some of the kin of the deceased to malign me. But my fight is continuing to establish the truth,” added the seer. He claimed that it was the sacrifice of Nigamanand that made the world to focus on Ganga and its conservation.
Mention worthy, Nigamanand had embarked on his fast at Matri Sadan on February 19, 2011 when illegal mining activities carried out by some stone crushers in Ganga in the Kumbh area had been going on in full swing. He had been forcibly lifted from the fasting site by the district administration on April 27 after his health had deteriorated on the 68th day of the fasting stir.
He had been admitted at Jollygrant hospital where he had breathed his last. Matri Sadan seers had lodged complaint against the owner of the stone crusher and some doctors of the district hospital Haridwar for poisoning Nigamanand.
They had alleged that his sudden death remained unaccounted for despite his health showing improvement till April 30 2011. As per the allegation, Nigamanand’s health had suddenly deteriorated after he had been administered an injection.