Judicial inquiry into Ganga crusader’s death demanded

Mathura, October 14 

Shankaracharya Adhokshajanand Deo Tirtha Maharaj on Sunday demanded a judicial probe into the circumstances that led to the death of environmentalist G D Agarwal, and said the “Ganga Bhakt” Prime Minister should also issue a clarification on the episode.

Agarwal, also known as Swami Gyanswaroop Sanand, died of heart attack at Rishikesh’s All-India Institute of Medical Sciences on Thursday, where he was forcibly brought a day earlier.

He had been on an indefinite fast for 110 days, demanding government measures to ensure a clean, free-flowing Ganga.

“A judicial probe by a sitting justice of a high court would only reveal the truth, since several allegations are cropping up,” the Shankaracharya told reporters in Mathura.

He said the government’s “silence” on Agarwal’s demands was painful as the environmentalist was not spreading separatism but was only demanding a clean Ganga.

He said Agarwal’s demands were similar to the promises made by this government to clean the holy river and it should give a clarification to avoid controversies after his death.

The Shankaracharya said the “Ganga Bhakta” Prime Minister Narendra Modi should clarify on the issue, adding that the phase through which the river is passing and the way its disciples are being treated, is not good for the country.

A day before Agarwal’s death, Water Resources and Ganga River Rejuvenation Minister Nitin Gadkari had said that the government had accepted almost all the demands made by the activist. “One demand was to ensure environmental flow and we have come out with a notification.”

The Shankaracharya also said that he was disappointed that the RSS, VHP and their associate organisations, who otherwise raise the issue of a clean Ganga spiritedly, were silent on this matter.

They should put pressure on their government at the Centre and in the state to enact a law to protect the river, which would also be a tribute to Agarwal, he said. — PTI

Silence ‘painful’

• “A judicial probe by a sitting justice of a high court would only reveal the truth, since several allegations are cropping up,” the Shankaracharya said.
• He said the government’s “silence” on environmentalist G D Agarwal (pic) demands was painful as the environmentalist was not spreading separatism but was only demanding a clean Ganga.