CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has suggested establishment of common burial grounds for all castes. The suggestion was given by Justice R Mahadevan while disposing of a petition filed by three persons from Madur village in Kallakurichi district seeking orders to create a permanent crematorium/burial ground for people belonging to Arunthathiar community. The community now uses the banks of a stream for this purpose.
The judge said that common crematoria/burial grounds can be constructed in every village and access to them should be given without any caste discrimination. He noted that caste discrimination causes disunity among the people right from birth to death.
Scheduled Caste communities, including Arunthathiars, have been suffering for a long time as they don’t have their own land to cremate/bury their dead. They also face difficulties when, during funeral processions, they are forced to carry the body of the deceased through parcels of land owned by other castes.
The situation where each caste has its own crematorium/burial ground should change, and panchayats having common crematorium/burial ground should be encouraged by giving incentives, the judge said.