Kochi, Oct 23 (IANS): After a month of legal wrangling between the children of departed veteran CPI-M leader M.M. Lawerence, the Kerala High Court on Wednesday dismissed the petition moved by Asha Lawrence, challenging the decision to donate her father's body to the Ernakulam Government Medical College Principal for research purposes.

Lawerence, 95, breathed his last on September 21 and after that, his son and one of his sisters informed the CPI-M that it was their father’s desire to hand over his body to the state-run Medical College hospital for study purposes, but the other sister, Asha Lawerence, strongly objected to it.

On the day of handing over the body to the Medical College Hospital, there were tense moments when the body was taken from the hall where it was kept and Asha Lawrence and her son were forcefully removed when they tried to prevent the body of Lawerence from being taken to the hospital as the court directed that, till final orders, that body was to be kept in the mortuary.

A legal tussle broke out subsequently and the High Court held a few sittings on the case, before deciding on Wednesday to hand over the body of the veteran according to his wish.

Asha Lawrence had strongly contended that her father had followed all Christian rituals during his lifetime and his burial must also be as per the Christian rites and rituals. She wanted her father to be interned in the grave of her mother and hence, she started the legal battle. However, the counsel appearing on behalf of Lawrence's son argued that his father had expressed his wish to donate the body for medical purposes before two witnesses. It was also argued that the donation of a body or donation of organs for medical purposes must be considered a generous act of service and has nothing to do with religious beliefs.

Lawrence was a Lok Sabha member from Idukki from 1980 till 1984. He was more known for his trade union activities and was a Central Committee member of the CPI-M.