Swami Agnivesh suffers multi-organ failure, condition critical

Social activist and Arya Samaj leader Swami Agnivesh has suffered multi-organ failure and is said to be in a critical condition. He was undergoing treatment for liver cirrhosis at the Institute of Liver and Billary Sciences (ILBS).

New Delhi: Arya Samaj leader Swami Agnivesh, who was hospitalised due to liver cirrhosis at the Institute of Liver and Billary Sciences (ILBS) here, is in a critical condition after suffering multi-organ failure during the treatment, the hospital said on Thursday. The hospital added that he is being closely monitored.

The social activist was admitted to the ILBS on Tuesday and has been on ventilator since then. A multi-disciplinary team is monitoring his condition.

The 80-year-old Agnivesh, a former MLA from Haryana, founded a political party, Arya Sabha, that was based on the principles of the Arya Samaj in 1970. He is also an advocate for dialogue between religions.

He is involved in various areas of social activism including campaigns against female foeticide and the emancipation of women. He was a prominent associate of Anna Hazare during the India Against Corruption's campaign in 2011 to implement the Jan Lokpal Bill.

IANS