Saints threaten boycott of 'Ardh Kumbh'

Varanasi, July 5 (UNI) Saints have threatened to boycott the 2007 'Ardh Kumbh' at Prayag (Allahabad) if government fails to ensure cleanliness of river Ganga.

A call in this respect was given here last night by Shankaracharya of Jyotish and Dwarika-Shardapith Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati.

Expressing concern over the deterioration of the sacred river, especially due to the continued flow of waste into it and the restriction of Ganga through the Tehri Dam, he said a national movement will be launched soon to liberate the pristine river from the shackles of dam and pollution.

Addressing the on day-long conclave, the seer said during the Magh Mela at Prayag, the boycott call given by the saints over the plight of Ganga could not deliver the desired result due to the delayed initiative.

Uttaranchal minister Maulana Masood Madani, also the national president of 'Ganga Gai Himalaya Bachao Abhiyan Samiti' said with the blessings of the Shankaracharya, a national movement to liberate the sacred river from the unholy nexus of the government and mafia will be in place within six months.

He said both Muslims and Hindus will join the national movement to be led by the Shankaracharya.

Earlier, other speakers including former Uttar Pradesh minister and ruling Samajwadi Party leader Shatrudhra Prakash, former BJP MP Shankar Prasad Jaiswal, environmentalist B D Tripathi, priest of Ram Janmabhoomi Mahant Satyendra Das, besides Maulana Madani and Shahi Imam of Tile Wali Masjid, Lucknow Mualana Fazlur Rehman Nadwi supported the call given to launch a nation-wide movement.

Maulana Madani further said 50,000 Muslims will gherao Parliament in two months time to save the Ganges.

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