Nigamananda's Death Raised Host of Issues
The Economic Times reported in its site "14 Jun, 2011, 01.52PM IST, IANS, DEHRADUN: A 34-year-old ascetic, Swami Nigamananda , died here after fasting for two and a half months to save the river Ganga from pollution, yoga guru Baba Ramdev said Tuesday. ..." (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/swami-nigamananda-dies-fasting-to-save-ganga-from-pollution/articleshow/8848525.cms). But another publication of the very same house, the Times of India captioned in its first page - 'Save Ganga' crusader dies after 115 days' fast, ... (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Articleshow/8855917.cms). And this was the attitude shown by India's big bourgeoisie, their government(s), their Media Empire and etc regarding the fast of Nigamananda - they didn't even know or didn't bother at all to say correctly how long Nigamnanda was at fast before his untimely death! They didn't cover Nigamananda's fasting before he died. How impartial, how much truth-seeking-and-portraying our 'media-world' is!
The Congress and the anti-BJP Media only used this death to slam BJP as Swami Nigamananda Saraswati stayed at Hardwar, in Uttaranchal; he was fasting against the illegal mining mafia of Uttaranchal whose actions had been killing the Ganga; and lastly, he died in Dehradun, in Uttaranchal - and Uttaranchal is a BJP ruled state. BJP has been trying to get an upper hand by tight-cornering Congress led UPA govt at the centre with the help of the much publicized Hazare-Ramdev fasting episode. Now the Congress got a counter-issue, just that much was needed by them! How ethical our established parties are!
Our esteemed netizens, the elite civil society, where were you when Nigamananda was slowly heading towards his death? Where were your candle light vigils photographed adeptly and published, at length, in the media? 'Saving Ganga' may sound a bit religious, somewhat old fashioned, but the concrete issue was both ecological and social - because Ganga means a thriving civilisation resting on the labour of millions of toilers; Ganga means a history of civilisation and hence history of nature and society; and the spoilers of the Ganga in this case was not only ruining Nature and hence Humanity but also was super-exploiting, oppressing Labourers, thousands of workers of illegal-quarries, putting them in dehumanised condition. Why did we not hear roars from the those esteemed members of civil society as we heard in the case of Hazare's Fasting in last April instead of whimpers and lamentations after Nigamanda's death?
For example, the TOI, in its piece mentioned above noted, "On Monday, Swami Nigamanand died virtually unnoticed after fasting for 115 days." [Italics ours] Why had he been virtually or really unnoticed? Do not blame us - the irregular press of the revolutionary communist stream with insignificant resources. How could we know the news, Madams and Sirs if not served by the media under your control? Even The Hindu of N Ram didn't mention the Swami's fast before he died, as the search result of their site with a single keyword 'Nigamananda' showed! (retrieved 8:30PM,15.06.11]
Persons close to Swami Nigamananda Saraswati of Matri Sadan, Hardwar, alleged that Nigamananda was slow poisoned to death by the mining mafia. It cannot be ruled out simply. We still remember a TOI reporting, "A thriving black market in kerosene, estimated to be worth Rs 10,000 crore every year, killed additional collector Yeshwant Sonawane" as reported Sanjay Dutta, TNN, Jan 27, 2011. What a democracy we are living in, where moneybags not only can bend rules (like, say, the coastal regulation zone rules are being bent) but also can send to heaven (or hell) people they abhor!
"God is great. And God has been giving me these beautiful mines." This is a quote of a famous Reddy, minister of Karnataka, himself a rich owner of many mines and a top-notch man of BJP [see Despite Scandals, Indian Mining Bosses Thrive, Lynsey Addario for The New York Times, in NYT, August 18, 2010.]. On the other hand, let us see a news-item of Congress-ruled Andhra - "Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has said he had not received any letter from any Central minister to seek CBI probe into illegal mining in the state. His comments come in the wake of a satellite survey which was conducted by a Survey of India team in Obulapuram Mining area in Andhra Pradesh following a Supreme Court directive to verify allegations of illegal mining" [an indiapost.com article posted on April 5, 2010]. "West Bengal Governor visits fire-ravaged mines in Asansol, Special Correspondent | Locals urge him to take up illegal mining with government"| January 10, 2008 | The Hindu (article 1176348) - and lots of such news show the CPIM in not so good a colour either! What else can we expect from established parties in this bourgeois rule!
Nigamananda was in his prime youth, he sacrificed his life in his mid thirties. He might not have been our fellow traveller (as far as world-outlook is concerned); but the essence of his cause was. We shall remember him and his crusade with due honour.
Comments:
No Comments for View