Will shoot myself dead after 10 days if no steps taken to clean Ganga, says Haridwar saint
DEHRADUN: Haridwar-based spiritual guru Gopaldas on Friday announced that he will shoot himself dead after 10 days if the state and central governments fail to take steps to clean the river Ganga and protect the environment and ecology of the state as well as the country.
"The governments at the Centre as well as in Uttarakhand have forgotten the holy Ganges and are busy enjoying power," he added.
The saint also added that if the government means no serious business, then the institutions in the name of research to protect the environment should be shut down.
"There is no use of having big institutions across the country like IITs, Forest Research Institute and Wildlife Institute of India to work and conduct studies for conserving flora and fauna if the government fails to take necessary steps. The government should shut these institutions down," said Gopaldas.
He said that he will be following in the footsteps of GD Agarwal who died in 2018 after fasting unto death demanding measures to clean the Ganga.
"I tried to meet the Chief Minister but I was not allowed inside his residence. The government is conspiring and has planned a smear campaign against me," added the saint.
Another saint, 23-year-old Sadhvi Padmavati, is also fasting to save the Ganga.
She has been fasting since December 15, 2019 and has refused to budge despite the police and administration picking her up from an ashram on January 30.
She was released the next day after a medical checkup following which she resumed her fast.
GD Agarwal and Swami Nigmanand Saraswati died fasting for the Ganga in 2018 and 2011 respectively.