On 11th November 2022, Rajasthan’s tourism minister Vishwendra Singh threatened Hindu saints and seers protesting against illegal mining and stone crushers in Bharatpur. Vishwendra Singh said that if the protesters bully, the government will deal with it in its own way.
Some points regarding the demand for the removal of the crushers could not be agreed upon at the district collector’s office on Wednesday 9th November 2022. Due to this, the saints and seers took a tough stand and announced an agitation from December 1 demanding the removal of the crusher. Around 3000 Hindu saints gathered in Pasopa and staged a dharna for about one and a half hours, then marched towards Kedarnath at around 10:30 pm, warning of agitation. It is notable that, earlier in July 2022, a monk named Vijay Das immolated himself in connection with the same issue. The local administration is now to face the sit-in protests by the Hindu Sages.
In response to the tough stand by Hindu sages, cabinet minister Vishwendra Singh said, “Mining at the Adibadri mountain is stopped as promised by the government. But we have not promised to shut the crusher plants. The crusher plants will continue to operate as they are having licenses. If sadhus and babas try to do more bullying, then the government will handle this in its own way.”
The Chaurasi Kos Yatra, which started from Shri Man Mandir Seva Sansthan, Gahwar Van Barsana, had stopped at Pasopa. About 3000 saints and seers were involved in this. Radha Krishna Shastri, executive president of Shri Man Mandir, Pasopa Trust, submitted a memorandum to Dig SDM Hemant Kumar. It demanded the removal of all the stone crushers from the Braj region.
Shastri said, “If the crushers running illegally are not removed, then all the saints will agitate. Any kind of loss of life during this time will be the responsibility of the government and administration. Right now we have postponed the agitation till November end.” However, the administration’s stand on this issue is that they have thoroughly checked if there is any illegal stone crusher unit and that they have formed a team for checking this. The administration also noted that illegal mining is completely stopped in this area.
While speaking to OpIndia, Radhakant Shastri of Braj Parvat Paryavaran Sanrakshan Samiti said, “Almost 20 stone crushers are operating there. When the crushers are operating, then illegal mining and theft of the stones are bound to happen. Therefore, for the last 7 to 8 days, there was a tense situation here. The Sadhus warned of agitation. The administration says that they have told the government, but the government is not ready to remove those crushers. Therefore, there is unrest among the Sadhus and Saints.”
He added, “The government had promised the last time that the leases will be cancelled. Accordingly, the leases are cancelled. But the crushers operating in the surrounding area are not removed yet.”
Radha Kant Shastri said, “Adibadri area has been declared a protected forest. Therefore, now it is not legal in any case to have crushers here, because these crushers no longer have any source for stone procurement. We have had discussions with the administration many times, but the administration is still not able to fully understand the feelings of the saints. On August 24, we demanded the government immediately remove the crusher from here or else illegal mining will continue. It did not happen. There is a lot of anger among the saints about this and they have all become ready for the protests again.”
According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, Braj Das said, “From December 1, sadhus and saints will start an indefinite dharna on Adibadri. We do not take responsibility for any saint. They are free, they can do anything. If any untoward incident takes place in such a situation, then all the responsibility will be on the government and administration.”
Due to the visit of saints and the warning of Baba Narayan Das, the police, and administration had arranged a large number of forces in the Pasopa and Adibadri area. During this time, 700 policemen including District Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh and administration officials were present in Pasopa. Talks were also held between the administration and saints. After this, around 10:30 pm, the Braj Chaurasi Kos Parikrama Yatra of Man Mandir Barsana left for Kedarnath.
According to the renowned Katha Reader Ramjilal Shastri, “We respect the Chief Minister of Rajasthan that he declared both the mountains as protected forests even though late, but in accordance with the spirit of saints. But unless the crushers are removed from here, illegal mining will not stop from these mountains. Until the two mountains are safe, our movement will continue.”
Adi Badri and Kanakanchal mountains are considered sacred in the Dig and Kaman regions of Bharatpur. The saints consider them to be the sacred land of Lord Krishna. The movement of saints was going on for about 2 years to stop the legal as well as illegal mining going on in these areas. On July 20, 2022, 65-year-old Mahant Vijay Das of Pasopa’s Pashupatinath temple in Dig immolated himself in protest against mining. He passed away while undergoing treatment at Delhi’s Safdarjung Hospital at around 3 am on July 23.
Earlier on July 4, 2022, Baba Haribol Das, who was associated with the movement, threatened to immolate himself outside the CM House if mining did not stop. Along with Baba Haribol Das, 14 saints warned of self-immolation. Baba Vijay Das was one among those 14.
