Coimbatore, Dec.18
In what could be termed as a direct attack on Jaggi Vasudev, 'Waterman of India' and Ramon Magsaysay awardee Mr. Rajendra Singh had revealed that he never supported the 'Rally for Rivers' campaign by Isha Foundation founder Jaggi Vasudev. He was addressing the press on Sunday at the Coimbatore Press club to announce the public meeting titled 'Save Dharma' on Dec 19 at Annamalai Hall in the city.
Flanked by Piyush Manush, a social activist, lawyer Gurunathan and Muthummal, the president of The Velliangiri Hill Tribal Protection Society, Mr. Rajendra Singh went hammer and tongs against Jaggi Vasudev and blamed him for having created an impression among the people across the country that his "Rally for Rivers ' campaign had the blessings of 'Waterman of India'.
Admitting that he had a discussion with founder of Isha Foundation regarding his 'Rally for Rivers ' campaign, he claimed that saving and retrieving dying rivers requires proven scientific methods and not strategies like inviting missed call from people.
"The responsibility lies with spiritual gurus like Jaggi Vasudev to protect water bodies and natural resources from environmental degradation and they have the onus to oppose tooth and nail if the governments sought to indulge in environmental destructive activities in the guise of promoting economic and industrial development on the ground,” he added.
Sharing his three decades of experience in restoring dying rivers to their pristine glory, the Magsaysay winner said attempt to save rivers through strategies like missed call from people is “futile”.
He further asserted that interlinking of rivers is not an effective solution to tackle the problem of drought and floods which has been affecting larger parts of the country in recent decades.
Commenting on the 'Save Dharma' public meeting on Dec. 19 in the city, Mr. Piyush Manush has said, it was mainly aimed at exposing the true face of Jaggi Vasudev with documentary evidence.
He further alleged that 'Rally for Rivers' campaign is nothing but a covert attempt by Jaggi Vasudev to grab lands across the country.
Muthummal, the president of The Velliangiri Hill Tribal Protection Society, has called upon members of mainstream society to join and support her fight for the cause of tribals and their livelihoods and against the encroachments of tribal lands by Isha Foundation.
In what could be termed as a direct attack on Jaggi Vasudev, 'Waterman of India' and Ramon Magsaysay awardee Mr. Rajendra Singh had revealed that he never supported the 'Rally for Rivers' campaign by Isha Foundation founder Jaggi Vasudev. He was addressing the press on Sunday at the Coimbatore Press club to announce the public meeting titled 'Save Dharma' on Dec 19 at Annamalai Hall in the city.
Flanked by Piyush Manush, a social activist, lawyer Gurunathan and Muthummal, the president of The Velliangiri Hill Tribal Protection Society, Mr. Rajendra Singh went hammer and tongs against Jaggi Vasudev and blamed him for having created an impression among the people across the country that his "Rally for Rivers ' campaign had the blessings of 'Waterman of India'.
Admitting that he had a discussion with founder of Isha Foundation regarding his 'Rally for Rivers ' campaign, he claimed that saving and retrieving dying rivers requires proven scientific methods and not strategies like inviting missed call from people.
"The responsibility lies with spiritual gurus like Jaggi Vasudev to protect water bodies and natural resources from environmental degradation and they have the onus to oppose tooth and nail if the governments sought to indulge in environmental destructive activities in the guise of promoting economic and industrial development on the ground,” he added.
Sharing his three decades of experience in restoring dying rivers to their pristine glory, the Magsaysay winner said attempt to save rivers through strategies like missed call from people is “futile”.
He further asserted that interlinking of rivers is not an effective solution to tackle the problem of drought and floods which has been affecting larger parts of the country in recent decades.
Commenting on the 'Save Dharma' public meeting on Dec. 19 in the city, Mr. Piyush Manush has said, it was mainly aimed at exposing the true face of Jaggi Vasudev with documentary evidence.
He further alleged that 'Rally for Rivers' campaign is nothing but a covert attempt by Jaggi Vasudev to grab lands across the country.
Muthummal, the president of The Velliangiri Hill Tribal Protection Society, has called upon members of mainstream society to join and support her fight for the cause of tribals and their livelihoods and against the encroachments of tribal lands by Isha Foundation.