Cong wants CBI inquiry into Nigamanand's death

Dehra Dun: The Congress today demanded a CBI probe into the death of Swami Nigamanand, dismissing the CB-CID inquiry  as ordered by the Uttarakhand government. “Ramesh Pokhriyal government is responsible for the death of Swami Nigamanand as it failed not only to check illegal quarrying in the Kumbh area at Haridwar but also failed to provide proper medical care to him,” Uttarakhand PCC President Yashpal Arya said. The PCC President said Congress has no faith in the state government and demanded handing over the inquiry to CBI to reveal the truth behind Swami’s death. [caption id=“attachment_26062” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“The Congress has demanded a CBI probe into the death of Swami Nigamanand. PTI”]  [/caption] He accused the BJP government of making Bollywood actor Hema Malini the brand ambassador of Ganga Cleaning Campaign and said it did not take any action on the demand of a Sadhu, who sacrificed his life after fighting 114 days for the same cause. Arya also alleged the state government of patronising quarrying mafia and said it did not take any action on the demand of Swami, who was asking for immediate stopping of quarrying in Ganga and shifting of Himalaya Stone crusher to some where else from Kumbh area. Congress is holding dharna and protest demonstrations across the state, Arya said, adding, he himself would sit on a dharna in Haridwar tomorrow in support of demand for a CBI probe. Swami Nigamanand, a seer of Matri Sadan ashram in Haridwar, died in the Himalayan hospital near here on June 13 after remaining in coma for 43 days. Nigamanand had begun his fast on February 19. Arya said the party would also submit a memorandum to Uttarakhand Governor Margaret Alva with a request asking her to intervene in the matter. While state government is maintaining that it is not responsible for the death of Swami Nigamanand as it had already stopped the quarrying in the area in April, the founder head of Matri Sadan ashram Swami, Shivanand has alleged that Nigamanand was poisoned during treatment at the behest of quarrying mafia that led to his death. The postmortem report of Swami Nigamanand has said that his death was caused due to coma, septicemia and degenerative brain disorder. However, under pressure due to allegations that Swami was poisoned, state Urban development minister Madan Kaushik yesterday announced that the inquiry has been handed over to CB-CID Family members of Swami Nigmanand also demanded a thorough probe into the circumstances leading to his death. Uttarakhand government’s insensitivity can be gauged from the fact that it arranged the best medical facility to Yoga guru Ramdev at the same hospital in Dehradun where Nigmanand died for lack of treatment, Nigmanand’s family said. Justice should be done and the “Bihar government should also take up the matter with the Uttrakhand government,” they said. “We want to cremate the body at the village,” they said and added that the role of Shivanand, another Swami of Matra Sadan in Hardwar, should also be probed. PTI