Cong corners BJP over death of environmentalist GD Agarwal

Congress on Thursday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government alleging that it did not do enough under 'Namai Gange Programme' and also ignored the indefinite-fast of environmentalist GD Agarwal.

Earlier in the day, former IIT Kanpur faculty member and environmental activist GD Agarwal, who was on an indefinite fast demanding the government to clean river Ganga, passed away after suffering a heart attack in AIIMS Rishikesh.

Agarwal, 86, was on fast since June 22 and had also given up drinking water on Wednesday. Before his death, he wrote a letter alleging that the Haridwar administration officials forcibly shifted him from his protest site to AIIMS.

Expressing grief over the death of environmental activist, Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said, "Ganga's Ma's soul must be crying out today. The real son of Ganga GD Agarwal, the Gandhian and environmentalist died today after keeping an indefinite fast of over 100 days. His fast was aimed at drawing the attention of the Modi government towards cleaning of river Ganga."

Surjewala also criticised Prime Minister Modi and said, "Those who only seek votes in the name of Ganga, those who only become his son in order to garner votes and to become MP from Varanasi, Prime Minister Modi did not pay heed to the fast of GD Agarwal for over 110 days."

He also questioned the 'Namami Gange Programme' and alleged that Ganga has become more polluted than before in the last four years.

"Is it not true that Ganga is more polluted in Varanasi today than it was in 2014? Is it not true that Ganga has become 334 times more polluted in BJP ruled states of Bihar and UP today as compared to 2014? Is it not true that in Namami Gange in which 22,000 crore rupees were to be sanctioned, not even one-fourth, Rs 2,200 have been spent. Is Namai Gange also a jumla for Modi government? They should wake up from the sacrifice of GD Agarwal to pay attention to at least one promise that they made to Mother Ganga," Surjewala said.