Congress president Rahul Gandhi today praised environmental activist GD Agarwal for his contribution towards saving the Ganga river and vowed to "take his fight forward."
Mr Agarwal, who was on a fast for the last 111 days demanding a clean and pollution-free Ganga river, died at a hospital in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh yesterday. He was 86.
Describing Mr Agarwal as "the true son of mother Ganga", Rahul Gandhi said he gave away his life to save the river.
"Saving the Ganga is like saving the country. We will never forget him and will take his fight forward," Mr Gandhi wrote on Twitter.
It is rivers like the Ganga that have made India, the Congress chief said.
Mr Agarwal, who began his hunger strike on June 22, demanding stricter government measures to save the Ganga, died of a heart attack at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Rishikesh.
The activist was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday after he refused to even drink any water.
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