GUWAHATI: Thousands of sadhus participating in the Ambubachi Mela staged a protest at the main gate of the Kamakhya Temple on Tuesday, June 25. The protest was triggered by complaints about inadequate facilities provided to them during the festival.
The saints and babas, voiced their frustration over several issues. Among them was Chocolate Baba, a well-known figure among the saints, who explained his grievances to GPlus, on behalf of the others as well.
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Talking to GPlus, Chocolate Baba said, "Yesterday, there were many fake Babas, and the police did not let a lot of genuine Babas go down to where they were staying. Some were stopped by the police, which upset a lot of Sadhus."
The primary concerns of the protesting saints included inadequate toilet facilities and lack of proper health check-ups, particularly for the elderly. "Many Sadhus did not get adequate toilet facilities, so they protested against that," said Chocolate Baba, highlighting a significant issue faced by the saints.
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Another Baba, who has been attending the Ambubachi Mela for 16 years now, said talking to GPlus, "Many elderly Babas did not get health check-up facilities, so some of them fell ill in this scorching heat. The lack of medical attention for older Sadhus is a serious concern, especially given the harsh weather conditions."
In response to the protests, an official from the Ambubachi Mahayog Parichalana Committee talking to GPlus said, "There are toilets in the campus. But some have faced difficulties because they have to go down. We understand the challenges and are trying to handle everything from our end," the official said.
