Sadhvi Pragya begins fast unto death

Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, who is undergoing treatment at Bhopal's Pandit Khushilal Sharma Government Ayurveda College and Institute, began a fast unto death today for being not allowed to take a dip in the Kshipra river during the ongoing Simhastha Kumbh at Ujjain.

Sadhvi Pragya, who was given a clean chit by the NIA in the Malegaon blast case, had earlier threatened to begin a fast unto death from 10 a.m. today if she was not allowed to take a dip in the Kshipra.

Her lawyer has written a letter to the Jail Superintendent and copied the same to President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Chief Justice of High Court, the Human Rights Commission and Women Commission.

He has pointed in the letter that when the trial court had accepted her application seeking permission to take a dip in the river then why was she not being allowed by the state government.

Sadhvi Pragya has in the letter through her lawyer said she is suffering from cancer, adding it is her last wish to visit the Kumbh as she may not be able to do so in the future.

Sadhvi Pragya's close aide Bhagwan Jha carried the letter to the Jail Superintendent, who assured him to raise this issue with senior officials.

She has in the letter issued an ultimatum to the government till May 21.