Akhilesh said the voters are now waiting for the elections to teach the BJP a lesson. (Photo: Reuters)

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav today hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government for betraying Ganga crusader GD Agarwal.

A day after Agarwal's death, former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said, "He [Agarwal] was betrayed by the government. The Narendra Modi government promised clean Ganga, but nothing has been done so far."

Akhilesh said the voters are now waiting for the elections to teach the BJP a lesson.

GD Agarwal, a former professor at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur and a man who devoted his life to the cause of saving river Ganga, died yesterday. Agarwal was on a fast-unto-death for the last 111 days.

Agarwal sat on his fast on June 22 to protest against the government's alleged inaction in taking measures to make the Ganga free of pollution and free-flowing.

Agarwal died at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Rishikesh due to a heart attack.

Paying tribute, Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday wrote on Twitter, "Saddened by the demise of Shri GD Agarwal Ji. His passion towards learning, education, saving the environment, particularly Ganga cleaning will always be remembered. My condolences."

READ | Professor GD Agarwal dies after 111-day fast to save Ganga

READ | Ganga crusader breaks epic fast as government takes action

WATCH | Save Ganga activist ends indefinite fast