Agarwal sacrificed for Ganga
The comic staging of sweeping the roads on the occasion of 150th commemoration of Gandhi Jayanthi. Modiji pretended to sweep the road himself and tried creating awareness among people.
But something very tragic happened that may have mocked the fasts that Gandhiji undertook as part of his nonviolence movement. G D Agarwal, who was on a fast to save Ganga, died on indefinite fast that he was on, since June 22. His death, in some way, is also an indication of the result that would be, even if Gandhi sat on a fast.
Gandhiji’s movement could succeed with the British since they respected him. He upheld the values of cleanliness and non-violence. But during Modi’s time, fasting has lost its value because the government does not care anymore.
Professor at Kanpur IIT G D Agarwal had dedicated his life for the cause of Ganga river. He changed into Swami Swaroopananda Saraswati after he finished his stint with IIT Kanpur and he had undertaken numerous fasts for the causes he believed in.
As a result of his fast, government had to drop many mega industrial projects it had planned on the banks of Ganga. In the recent times, he had sat on a fast for about 109 days seeking a law to allow uninterrupted flow of Ganga from Gangotri at Uttarakhand to Uttarkashi.
His fast was not politically conniving ones like the politicians do. He had dedication and commitment towards the cause he believed in. His fast did not make as much noise as the fake babas’ events around causes of rivers.
BJP has sought votes in the name of Ganga, stating it is one of the agendas of the party. Crores of money has been released for the cause. Minister Uma Bharti has been giving out many declarations regarding this. Environmentalists have said Ganga water is totally unfit for consumption. Govt should have taken the fast by Swami Swaroopananda with more seriousness since this was a pertinent issue. He had become a thorn in the flesh since he always drew the attention of govt towards something relating to Ganga. The govt probably wished for his end.
Finally, a major interruption to raising money in the name of Ganga has been removed.
By the way, Swami Swaroopananda is not the first one to lose life over Ganga. Swami Nigamananda had fasted to oppose mining around the Ganga water table. The government didn’t budge even when he fasted for 73 days. He was removed from the place forcibly and he died under mysterious conditions in the hospital.
Unfortunately, when Nigamananda staged a genuine fast, Baba Ramdev was staging a fake fast at Ram Leela grounds. Police entered the place and assaulted the fake protestors and Ramdev tried escaping from the place dressed like a woman, but was caught.
Media outlets praised Ramdev and never even turned their focus on Nigamanand’s fast. Nigamananda died in the same hospital where Ramdev feigned ignorance and got admitted.
Mostly as a reparation, Uttarakhand received torrential rainfalls and cities drowned in the deluge. Now Agarwal followed the same path as Nigamananda.
On one hand, human rights activists are arrested in the name of Urban Naxals. The government finds fault with their sympathy towards naxals. Then why do genuine people like Nigamananda and Agarwal die? Why did the government reject their genuine protest and fast? Their movement was very much aligned with government’s focus and plans. Why did the govt that spends thousands of crores on cleanliness drive advertisements and collect cess from people, not find Agarwal’s fight worthy of attention? Why could it not be complete?
The ingenuity of this government towards causes is lying in the open with Agarwal’s death. Modi government can never ignore this blood on its hand.
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'Engineered narratives': West Bengal guv on alleged molestation charges against him
Kolkata, May 2: West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose on Thursday said he will not be cowed down by “engineered narratives” and the "truth shall triumph” after TMC leaders claimed that a woman working at Raj Bhavan levelled allegations of molestation against him.
In a statement, the Governor said, “Truth shall triumph. I refuse to be cowed down by engineered narratives. If anybody wants some election benefits by maligning me, God bless them. But they cannot stop my fight against corruption and violence in Bengal,”
To the Raj Bhavan staff "who expressed solidarity with him following some derogatory narratives that were circulated by two disgruntled employees as agents of political parties," a communication by Raj Bhawan said.
The Governor’s statement came after senior TMC leaders claimed this evening in a series of social media posts that the woman, who had levelled the allegations, has been taken to a police station to complain against Bose.
Though police sources said they received a verbal complaint, there was no official word on whether a formal complaint had been registered.
“BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose was accused of molesting a woman. How utterly appalling and Horrifying. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj Bhavan today. The complainant has been taken to the Hare Street police station for filing a complaint. The woman has accused the Governor of molesting her. Shocking and disgraceful,” TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose said in a post on X.
Fellow TMC MP Saket Gokhale also posted on his X account regarding the issue.
West Bengal Women and Child Development Minister Shashi Panja said it is “shameful” that the Governor has maligned his post and has used it to “torture a woman”.
“It is appalling and shocking to see such an incident. This is the same Governor who had reached out to Sandeshkhali to talk about women’s rights and Nari Shakti. This is shameful that the Governor sought undue advantages in the pretext of giving her a permanent job. We want Prime Minister Narendra Modi who will be addressing rallies in Bengal tomorrow to react on this issue,” she said.
According to sources in the Governor's House, the "woman employee with the help of her alleged boyfriend who is also an employee of the Raj Bhavan was blocking complaints (from people) being sent to the Election Commission of India.
"When she was reprimanded for that, she went outside and alleged molestation. She is in the habit of throwing tantrums against her colleagues because of some disease," a Raj Bhavan official said.
The West Bengal Governor and the TMC government have shared an acrimonious relationship since he assumed office in November 2022 and had several run-ins on various issues.
The BJP said it has to be seen whether this a “conspiracy by the TMC” or has an “iota of truth in it”.
“We all know that the TMC is politically cornered on the issue of SSC scam and is looking for a breathing space. So this needs to be seen whether this is a conspiracy by the TMC or it has any iota of truth in it,” BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said.
BIG. Bengal governor CV Ananda Bose accused of molesting a woman. How utterly APPALLING and HORRIFYING. Ahead of @narendramodi visit to Kolkata who is supposed to stay overnight at Raj Bhavan, a woman has alleged that she was molested while she went to meet the Governor at Raj…
— Sagarika Ghose (@sagarikaghose) May 2, 2024
Shameful that a constitutional office holder should try to prejudice an impartial investigation by attacking the motive of the complainant. We have seen this happen in that infamous Saturday Hearing of the Supreme Court. Respect women! https://t.co/E6eJLQvFXO
— sanjoy ghose (@advsanjoy) May 2, 2024
