New Delhi: Adding another issue to his
agenda, Anna Hazare on Monday rose in support of a movement to
save the Ganga by visiting activist GD Aggarwal who was flown
here for treatment after his health deteriorated during a
hunger strike in Varanasi to save the river.
Hazare visited Aggarwal at the AIIMS where the
80-year-old environment scientist-turned saint was airlifted
this morning from Varanasi where he was undergoing treatment
following his hunger strike to save the river.
Pledging support to Aggarwal in his fight to save the
holy river, Hazare held the government responsible for the
deteriorating health of the activist also known as Swami Gyan
Swaroopanand.
Aggarwal, a former IIT professor, was spearheading a
movement to save the Ganga and was on an indefinite hunger
strike since January 15. His aides said he stopped taking even
water from March nine.
He has been demanding convening the meeting of the Prime
Minister-headed National River Ganga Basin Authority. Waterman
Rajinder Singh and two others had resigned in protest against
the government not convening the Authority.
"The Prime Minister-headed authority has met only twice
in the past three years. As the administrative head, he is
responsible," Hazare said.
Asked whether he supports Aggarwal, 74-year-old Hazare
answered in the affirmative. "I will support him. He is
fighting for the holy river," he said.
Hazare`s close aide Arvind Kejriwal wrote a series of
tweets this morning urging the media to take up the case of
Aggarwal.
"No worthwhile efforts made by central govt in last one
month to discuss with him. How can our government become so insensitive? Allow such senior scientists to die?" he said.
Kejriwal said Aggarwal`s demand was meetings of Ganga
Basin Authority. "Pranab Mukherjee wrote a letter to G D
Aggarwal on 23rd Aug 2010 assuring that Authority would meet
soon," he said.
"He (Aggarwal) was only on water for a month. Gave up
water also last week. Hospitalized and put on drip. He has
removed drip also since yesterday.
This was Aggarwal`s third fast in last three years and
"the central government has gone back on all promises made to
him during last fast," he said.
PTI
