A civic body in Odisha’s Kendrapada has stirred controversy for cremating bodies of Brahmins at a burning ghat located at Hazaribagicha locality.
The 155-year-old Kendrapara municipality has been surfacing headlines for putting up a a ‘Brahmin crematorium’ signboard at the entrance of the burning ghat.
According to reports in the PTI, locals informed that that the last rites of Brahmins are cremated for a long time, however, the signboard has been updated recently post renovation done by the government grants.
“Yes, the issue has come to our notice and we are looking into it. Steps will be taken to set right the alleged caste discrimination,” Prafulla Chandra Biswal, Executive Officer of Kendrapara Municipality was quoted as saying.
However, bodies of other castes apart from Brahmins are cremated in other crematoriums that have also undergone renovation.
Meanwhile, the ‘Brahmin-Only’ crematorium has stirred controversy among the Dalits and political leaders.
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Nagendra Jena, district unit president of Odisha Dalit Samaj, “I was shocked to know that the municipality has been maintaining a crematorium only for Brahmins for a long time. By doing so, the government body is breaking the law and promoting caste discrimination. This practice should be put to an end at the earliest.” CPI(M) district unit secretary Gayadhar Dhal said it is illegal for a civic body to run a crematorium only for Brahmins.
“People from other castes should also have the right to perform the last rites of their dear ones at the cremation ground,” he said.
