Congress attacks BJP over Swami Nigamananda's death after fast

Under attack from BJP over issues relating to Ramdev and Anna Hazare, Congress today sought to turn the table on it over the death of Swami Nigamananda in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand.

AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi said that it was "very unfortunate and saddening" that the chief minister of a party, which does not stop swearing in the name of Ganga and Ram, was busy paying his attention to the other "political game" but did not take notice of Nigamanand.

He described the seer as a person who was agitating for saving Ganga river and checking illegal mining with firm determination and in a spirit of "true Satyagrahi".

"Nigamananda was being treated in the same hospital in which Ramdev was admitted. The state government has all the information but it did not pay attention to the former," the Congress leader said, adding that everybody should express his or her views against "such insensitivity".

The seer died yesterday after a record 114-day long hunger strike demanding immediate stopping of quarrying in Ganga.

The 36-year-old seer of Haridwar-based Matri Sadan Ashram was on indefinite fast since February 19 also demanding shifting of Himalayan stone crusher from Kumbh mela area.

Dwivedi said that it would have been better had everybody including media would have paid attention on him as he was fighting injustice and social and economic problems.

He said that there was a need for public awareness on the issue so that such an incident is not repeated in future.