'Country lost crusader of liberation of bonded labourers': Manmohan Singh condoles Swami Agnivesh death

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday "expressed shock and anguish" over the passing away of social activist and former Haryana MLA Swami Agnivesh and conveyed his condolences to his followers.

Terming him a "leading social activist and reformer," Singh said that Swami Agnivesh had made "immense contribution in public life while working for bonded labourers and fostering inter-religious harmony in the country."

The former prime minister said that with the demise of Agnivesh, a former Haryana MLA the nation has lost "a crusader of the liberation of bonded labourers."

Earlier, Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi, among others had also expressed grief over Swami Agnivesh's demise.

The social activist was associated with Arya Samaj and had led a campaign against bonded labour.

Swami Agnivesh passed away on Friday at the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences in Delhi. He was suffering from liver cirrhosis and was critically ill.

( With inputs from ANI )