NEW DELHI, June 15, 2011 (IBN – CNN): It’s the season of hunger strikes and fasts unto death. Far from the spotlight though in the same hospital ICU as the better known Baba Ramdev, Swami Nigamanand has passed away. Swami had been fasting for two and a half months over illegal mining, looking to save the Ganga,
While sadhus cajoled Ramdev, politicians pleaded with him, ministers briefed him and finally, on the ninth day of his fast unto death, he relented with a sip of fruit juice, Swami Nigamanand had a different fate. He died an unsung death on Tuesday morning.
“He was on a hunger-strike for 68 days at his ashram. The reason for his hunger-strike was saving the Ganges and stop mining in the Ganga,” said Pratap Shah, ADM, Rishikesh. Swami Nigamanand of the 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 crushers got a stay from the high court and mining continued unabated.
A month into the fast, Nigamanand’s condition deteriorated. He slipped into a coma and ironically shared the same ICU with Ramdev, who had been fasting for only nine days.
When Nigamanand’s body was taken from the hospital mortuary on Tuesday morning, there were no ministers, no politicians and hardly any sadhus to accompany him in his final journey.