UK witnesses row over Hindu-style funeral pyres

Prasun Sonwalkar

London, Mar 26 (PTI) As the three-day hearing in the
Royal Court of Justice on allowing Hindu-style funeral pyres
in Britain concludes Thursday, the judicial review has raised
the hackles of many who believe such practices were harming
Hinduism and should not be allowed here.

Newcastle-based Davender Kumar Ghai, 70, has approached
the high court to repeal a 1903 act so that Britain's Hindu
community can cremate their dead according to ancient rituals
here instead of taking bodies to India for last rites.

The three-day hearing is being held in the court of
Justice Cranston. A ruling on the case may not be delivered
Thursday.

Ghai, founder of the Anglo-Asian Friendship Society, has
been campaigning for a change of British laws to allow funeral
pyres conforming to Hindu rites.

The case has been supported and opposed by several people
within the Hindu community as well as from the wider British
public.

According to Jay Lakhani, director of Hindu Council UK,
the demand for such a ritual was illogical, morbid and risked
damaging the credibility of Hinduism in the UK. He added that
Ghai's argument that his human rights are being compromised
since he cannot have a Hindu-style funeral pyre was harming
Hinduism.

Lakhani said: "First it fails to take into account that
Hinduism is a forward-looking, evolving religion. In ancient
times open-air cremations were fine; we now have more
efficient and less morbid methods of cremation.

"Second, the idea that the soul requires an open-air
cremation in order to be released, demolishes the potency of
the soul and thereby undermines the very foundation of
Hinduism".

Opposing the case, Llewelyn Daniel, a reader of The Daily
Telegraph, wrote: "It is about time that Britain said enough
is enough to meeting the strange demands of people of other
countries who come to live here.

"Anyone who cannot adhere to the laws of Britain should
take the first step to exercise their right to go back to
where they came from. Britain must be proud to be Britain and
stop stooping to the demands of foreigners".

However, another reader, Morris, wrote that Ghai is a man
of faith and sincere in his contributions to British society
throughout his lifetime and is entitled to a fair and
respectful hearing regarding his rights under the law. "The
'go back where you came from' mentality demeans us all".

Ghai agreed that the case was provocative, but said: "I
have lived my entire life by the Hindu scriptures. I now yearn
to die by them and I do not believe that natural cremation
grounds — as long as they were discreet, designated sites far
from urban and residential areas — would offend public
decency". PTI PS
AM