Keshavananda Bharati, Seer Behind Basic Rights Case, Dies

Keshavananda Bharati has passed away at the age of 79.

(Photo Courtesy: Twitter/Shivraj Singh Chouhan)

Keshavananda Bharati, whose constitutional case before the Supreme Court led to the landmark decision of outlining the basic rights under the Constitution, died on the morning of Sunday, 6 September, in his ashram at Edneer in north Kerala’s Kasaragod district. He was 79 years old.

Following a cardiac arrest and breathing problems, Bharti had been admitted to a private hospital in Mangaluru.

In 1970, Bharti has filed a case challenging the Kerala Land Reforms (Amendment) Act, 1969 and the three Constitutional amendments – 24, 25 and 29, over the state government's attempts to impose restrictions on the mutt property, which was the only source of income for the ashram.

At 69 days, the case topped the list for the longest hearing.

He headed the mutt since 1961 and apart from being involved in Advaita philosophy, he was a good classical singer. It was just recently that the seer completed his 60th ‘chaturmasya’ (holy period of four months).

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Bengaluru MP PC Mohan and Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chauhan tweeted condolences on Sunday.

“Anguished by the demise of Swami Kesavananda Bharati Ji, Head of Edneer Mutt at Kerala's Kasaragod. He was a revolutionary Seer who fought in SC in year 1973 which helped define basic rights under the Constitution,” Chouhan tweeted.