SADHU DIES AFTER A 73 DAYS FAST TO SAVE GANGA

It’s the season of hunger strikes and fast unto death. In the same hospital ICU where Baba Ramdev was admitted, Swami Nigamanand who had been fasting for two and a half months over illegal mining- looking to save the Ganga passed away.

Sadhus cajoled him, politicians pleaded with him, ministers briefed him and finally on the ninth day of his fast unto death, Baba Ramdev gave up his fast with a sip of fruit juice.

In the same hospital, in the same ICU where Baba Ramdev was admitted, another swami died an unsung death on Tuesday morning.

Swami Nigamanand who was fasting for seventy three days in Haridwar against rising pollution in the river Ganges breathed his last just a few hours after Baba Ramdev broke his fast. He was on strike for 68 days at his Ashram and the reason for his fast was to save the Ganges and to stop the mining in the Ganga.

Swami Nigamanand of Matra Sadan in Haridwar was fighting a lone battle against stone crushers and illegal mining on the river bank. No one paid heed- the miners and the crushers got a stay from the High Court and mining continued.

A month into the fast, his health condition got deteriorated and fell into coma and shared the same ICU with Baba Ramdev for two days at the Himalayan Hospital before he lost his battle with life.

Ramdev is still recovering his health condition at the Himalayan Hospital whereas Swami Nigamanand’s body was taken from the mortuary on Tuesday morning with no ministers, no politicians and hardly any sadhu’s to accompany him in his final journey.

Report by Alka