For the cause of Ganga, Prof GD Agarwal aka Swami Sanandji is adamant on ending his life

New Delhi: The condition of noted environmental scientist and former professor of the reputed Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, Professor GD Agarwal aka Swami Gyan Swaroop Sanand ji, who is on an indefinite fast surviving only on water and lime since June 22, can not be termed as good.

He was discharged from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences on July 23, after he refused medication. The hospital’s provisional discharge report states he is suffering from starvation ketosis, coronary artery desease, degenerative valvular heart disease as well as uncomplicated right direct inguinal hernia.

The hospital authorities stated that while the 87-year-old Swami was “otherwise hemodynamically stable and since he is refusing any active intervention from our side, he was discharged…”

The Discharge Certificate stated that “The patient was brought to the hospital with poor oral intake (fasting with only lime juice and salt) for past 21 days”. It mentioned that he was admitted on July 12 with the history of starvation for past 21 days and was having urinary ketone positive by dipstick.

Hospital report says Prof Agarwal refused to undergo treatment

The report stated, the 87-year-old Swami, was also diagnosed with “loss of R wave in V1-V4, III, aVF and cardiology opinion was taken and 2D echo was done which revealed IHD, and moderate LV dysfunction…he was advised to undergo CAG procedure but the patient refused to do so.”

Besides, the report states he had “hypokalemia for which oral potassium therapy was started and potassium levels were monitored with the help of ECG and VBG, dose was titrated and stopped. He refused for any nutritional supplements or IV fluids, he continued to have only lime juice with salt. He also refused for daily monitoring of electrolytes, RBS and lactate.”

Prof Agarwal has a history of heart complications

The 87-year-old Swami has an old history of heart complications too. The medical report said he was diagnosed to have “hypertension and ischemic heart disease in 1991 following exertional left sided aching type chest pain which was insidious in onset and was gradually progressive in nature…he was given medication but was not compliant with medication”; he had “exertional dyspnea” for the past 10 years with “no orthopnea”; He had “bilateral leg swelling” associated with facial puffiness for 10 years; he has right side inguinal swelling for the past 6-7 years.

So what does his medical condition reveal?

In layman’s term, when the cells don’t get enough glucose, the body burns fat for energy instead. This produces a substance called ketones, which can show up in one’s blood and urine. High ketone levels in urine may indicate diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a complication of diabetes that can lead to a coma or even death.

Besides, loss of anterior forces (R waves) may signify prior anterior myocardial infarction or heart attack; aVF or an arteriovenous fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between an artery and a vein; IHD or Ischemic heart disease, also called coronary heart disease (CHD) or coronary artery disease, is the term given to heart problems caused by narrowed heart (coronary) arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle; The term LV dystunction literally means left ventricle is not functioning all right).

Uttarakhand Government’s Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court

It may be mentioned that the Uttarakhand Government had on July 13 filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court against the judgment and order passed by the Uttarakhand High Court on July 11, 2018 which had directed the state government to release the Swami and to accept his demands within 12 hours. The High Court had stated that the act of the district authorities to forcibly remove the Swami from his Ashram, Matri Sadan, and to take him to “some unknown destination” on July 10 “is an arbitrary exercise of the police power…Petitioners’ disciples were required to be informed before removing him forcibly from the spot…Life of the petitioner is precious and is required to be protected/preserved by the State functionaries…”

The High Court in its order had then directed the State Government that if the Swami’s “health has deteriorated, he shall be admitted in AIIMS, Rishikesh and his disciples/followers will be permitted to look after him. It shall be the responsibility of the Principal Secretary, Home to protect the life of the petitioner (Prof GD Agarwal).The State Government shall provide all the medical facilities to the petitioner under the supervision of Director, AIIMS, Rishikesh.”

The state government, in its petition, had submitted that the Swami’s demand for a separate Central legislation for river Ganga can only be prepared by the Central government and not by the state government of Uttarakhand. It submitted before the apex court that when the Swami (Respondent) was removed from the Matri Sadan premises, he was on fast for 18 days “and had not taken anything solid or liquid, his weight decreased a lot and it was very much necessary to put him on life saving medical system under strict supervision of experienced medical practitioners. On the other hands his disciples in Matri Sadan were encouraging him to fast and were celebrating and honouring his fast and in fact were waiting for his death. The District Magistrate Haridwar was keeping continuous monitoring on the condition of the respondent and in those circumstances it became very much necessary to remove him from Matri Sadan premises to save his life, otherwise there would be a huge law and order crisis in District Haridwar in case the respondend would died of fasting.”

The State Government further submitted that the Swami was not kept in any “undisclosed place; rather he was kept in Doon Hospital, Dehradun, which is the biggest Government hospital in Dehradun…” The State Government further petitioned before the apex court: “…the Hon’ble High Court failed to appreciate that there is no question of disclosing whereabouts of the respondent to his disciples/followers as his own team of doctors accompanied him to Doon Hospital. The disciples/followers of the respondent are the persons who encouraged, celebrated and honoured fasting of the respondent are the persons who encouraged, celebrated and honoured fasting of the respondent for 18 ays and if the respondent is again left with them, they will again encourage him to do fast till death and the State Government cannot left the respondent in the hands of such unscrupulous and unlawful persons…”

Nationwide concerns over Swami's health

While the Swami has thus far refused to yield till his demand for a separate legislation for Ganga is met, concerns over his health is growing every passing day across the nation.

Already Central Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Uma Bharti had earlier written letters to Prof Agarwal, requesting him to break his fast. The newly appointed Congress General Secretary and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, who had also earlier held the position of Union Water Resources Minister, had also called on the Swami and was also present at a prayer meeting for him at Rajghat in New Delhi. While the Aam Aadmi Party’s MP Sanjay Singh too raised this concern at the Rajya Sabha on July 24, the BJP’s Lok Sabha Member from Saharanpur Raghav Lakhanpal Sharma too has forwarded an appeal from the Uttar Pradesh Madhyamik Shikshak Sangh to Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently which urged the PM to accept the demand of Prof Agarwal, which was in “national interest”.  Source: .Jagrit Bihar, A People's Movement