Organiser - A fight in UK for Hindus’ right for open-air cremation
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- A fight in UK for Hindus’ right for open-air cremation
- Seventy-one-year-old Shri Devender Ghai struggling to get the court orders implemented in UK allowing cremation as per Hindu rites THE issue of granting rights for open-air-funeral pyres to Hindus in the United Kingdom brought 71 year old Britain-based Shri Devender Ghai to New Delhi in a bid to seek moral support from the Indians. He is meeting the leaders of various religious, political and social organisations as well as the government officials in New Delhi to seek their support in his fight. "I am here not to collect funds even after I have spent about half-a-crore rupees for the fight but in order to seek moral support from my countrymen," said Shri Ghai while talking to mediapersons in New Delhi on April 29.
- Even Islamic Republic of Pakistan has allowed open air cremation sites. In the recent example the Pakistan minorities (Hindus) were granted land by Waqf Board at Lahore Bund Road for a cremation ground. In November 2005, at behest of Shri Ghai’s public campaign, the Government of Punjab in Pakistan approved the construction of a cremation ground at Bund Road, Lahore. But on the other hand the British Government has adopted a go slow attitude on the issue. The British authorities are dilly-dallying with Court orders in the hope that this 71 years old veteran shall pass away and the campaign for an open-air-cremation pyre shall cease in due course. Shri Devender Ghai is a disabled pensioner and lives in a Council House. A car with a care taker has been provided by the British Government for his travelling around. But his charity work run from the Council House is not provided funds by the British Charities. Shri Ghai is today on the verge of bankruptcy after spending more than Rs. 36 Lakh on his dream case. He has accumulated debts to the tune of Rs. 27 lakh, thus spending a total sum of Rs. 63 lakhs till date. But the penniless Shri Ghai is firm in his resolve for getting the Hindus their birth right for open air cremation pyre in Britain.
