BHOPAL: Self-styled godman Namdeo Das Tyagi, popularly known as ‘Computer Baba’, was quick to demand a helicopter after being made the leader of the 17-member River Narmada Trust in the Kamal Nath-ruled Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.
The Baba, who was accompanied by the State’s Minister for Religious Affairs and Spirituality Department, PC Sharma, and former chief minister Digvijaya Singh said he needed the helicopter for conducting a survey of the river.
“The helicopter will enable me to also ascertain the state of trees planted on the riverbank during the previous Shivraj Singh Chouhan government as well as the actual truth about the rampant sand mining in the river,” said Computer Baba.
The trust will also work towards the conservation of the rivers Narmada, Mandakini and Kshipra. A toll-free ‘Maa Narmada’ helpline will also be introduced to enable commoners to complain about any illegal activity along the river.
According to Sharma, a Narmada Parikrama Path will also be constructed.Computer Baba was among the five religious leaders who were accorded Minister of State (MoS) rank by the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in April 2018 for various religious and environmental causes.
However, five months later, Baba quit, accusing Chouhan of betraying the cause of river Narmada.
Since then the self-styled godman has backed and campaigned for the Congress in 2018 assembly polls and 2019 Lok Sabha polls.