Finally, a significant breakthrough in the deadly impasse between Government of India's attitude with regard to Swami Gyan
Swarup Sanand’s (formerly Prof. G.D. Aggarwal) fast
unto death from February 7, 2012 to save Ganga from total
annihilation.
This afternoon, March 23, following a signed
agreement with the representatives of the Prime Minister, Swami Sanand agreed
to give partially up his fast unto death by consenting to take just liquids
till April 17 when the Prime Minister will invite him to address a
special meeting of the National Ganga River Basin Authority.
Since March 9, after having given up solid
food, Swami Sanand also gave up taking water. On March 11, the UP
Government forcibly admitted him to the ICU of SSL Hospital of Banaras Hindu
University, in Varanasi, where he had been
fasting on the banks of Ganga. There, he was
put on saline drip. However, soon after, he announced that he would remove the
saline drip on March 17 if the government failed to reach a
positive decision by then.
On March 18, he was shifted in an air ambulance
to Delhi and
admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of All India Institute of Medical Sciences
(AIIMS), because his condition had deteriorated rapidly, especially after he removed the saline drip. In addition, he suffered
a heart attack. At AIIMS he steadfastedly
resisted force-feeding.
Finally, on March 23, Prime Minister’s special
emissaries Shri Prakash Jaiswal and V. Narayanasami signed an agreement with
two representatives of Ganga Abhiyan agreeing to the following conditions:
1. The Prime Minister will call a meeting of the National
Ganga River Basin Authority on April 17. Swami Sanand will address
this meeting and put forth all his concerns regarding the cultural,
civilizational and spiritual importance of Ganga,
and the steps required to save it from destruction.
2. The Agenda of the NGRBA meeting will be decided by the Ganga
Abhiyan led by Swami Sanand.
3. Swami Sanand will be accompanied by a 7 member delegation
of Ganga Abhiyan.
4. Since the Government declared Ganga as a “national river”
keeping in view the unique sanctity attached to it by the people of India,
the Government will take appropriate measures to respect people’s undying faith in its sacredness.
However, this is not the end of Ganga tapasya. Right at the outset, Ganga Abhiyan had announced that if Swami Sanand
ends up losing his life during his Ganga tapasya, another Sanyasi will take his place right away. With Swami Sanand
agreeing to take liquids from March 23, another sanyasi in Kashi
has begun a nirjal tapasya for Ganga--that is
in addition to giving up food, he has also given up water so that Ganga tapasya continues uninterrupted even after Swami
Sanand’s partial withdrawal of his fast unto death.
Let us pray and hope that the NGRBA takes a clear policy
decision on April 17.
We will post on our website and email you the exact text of
the agreement tomorrow
Posted on March 23, 2012