Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, May 11: Former district youth Congress president and leader, Mithun Rai, has expressed anger at the communalisation of well-meaning services provided by the Muslims by certain Hindu leaders.

In the case of certain persons who died of coronavirus infection, when no close ones or family members had come forward to perform the funeral of the deceased persons, some Muslim voluntary organizations had performed the funeral of the Hindus who died of coronavirus infection, as per Hindu tenets. This had won widespread appreciation for the Muslim organizations. But Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader, Sharan Pumpwell, had strongly objected to this service which angered Mithun Rai.

Sharan Pumpwell (left) and Mithun Rai

Sharan Pumpwell, who had expressed himself against the Muslims performing the funeral of deceased Hindus as per Hindu formalities, said that Muslims are not needed to perform the funeral of deceased Hindus. He expressed the view that the bodies of Hindus who die of coronavirus should be entrusted only to the Hindus for conducting the funeral. He also mentioned that the Hindu volunteers are ready to perform the funerals of Hindus in an honourable manner.

Many have hit back in the social media against this statement. Several political leaders are also among those who slammed Sharan. A number of leaders including Dakshina Kannada district youth JD(S) president, Akshit Suvarna, had condemned the above statement, commenting that Sharan Pumpwell was trying to drag communalism even in the matter of funerals.

Responding to the issue, Mithun Rai accused Sharan Pumpwell of trying to sow seeds of communal hatred at a time when funerals are performed without differentiating between the religions to which the persons concerned belonged. "We need to unitedly fight against corona, duly forgetting our caste, creed and religious affiliations. It is sad that Sharan is trying to bring in communalism in this context," he said.

He advised Sharan to get rid of this mindset and fight to get ventilators and intensive care unit beds for those facing problems. He pledged to support the initiative if Sharan undertakes fight to drive coronavirus away.