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Initials EHR/V/WH/FW



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: ON THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF HIS "FAST UNTO DEATH", MASTER TARA SINGH, THE SIKH LEADER, GREW WEAKER IN THE GOLDEN TEMPLE IN AMRITSAR, INDIA, AUG. 31. HE HAS SAID HE WILL NOT EAT AGAIN UNTIL HIS BEHIND FOR A PUNJABI-SPEAKING STATE IS MET.

BY HIS BEDSIDE - SANT FATEH SINGH, HIS SUCCESSOR AND DEPUTY. HE HELD HIS MASTER'S HAND AND MASSAGED IT. MEANWHILE, SURYA DEVA, A YOGI, WAS ALSO GROWING WEAK IN HIS COUNTER-FAST IN THE ARYA SAMAJ TEMPLE, AMRITSAR. HIS DISCIPLE SAT BESIDE HIM. SURYA DEVA IS DRINKING WATER, OR WATER MIXED WITH LEMON OR SALT. FLOWERS AND GARLANDS ARE SPREAD AROUND HIM.

AND IN DELHI, SWAMI RAMESHWARANAND, PRESIDENT OF THE HINDU RAKSHI SAMITI, BROKE HIS COUNTER-FAST AGAINST MASTER SINGH. THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO APPEALS BY VARIOUS LEADERS, AS INDIAN PRIME MINISTER NEHRU HAS STATED THAT THE DEMANDS FOR A SEPARATE STATE WILL NOT BE AGREED TO.

AFTER OFFERINGS AT THE HOLY FIRE, HE DRANK A GLASS OF MIXED ESSENCES AND HONEY. HUNDREDS OF HINDUS PRAYED AROUND HIM.