Maharashtra Congress leader
Mohammed Arif Naseem Khan on Thursday asked the state government to earmark space in existing Muslim burial grounds for patients of the community dying of COVID-19 or allot new sites to accommodate them.
The former minister said the government should allot new grounds in eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai and other parts of the state for the burial of the mortal remains of people from the minority community succumbing to the virus.
In a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, Khan said as per WHO guidelines, coronavirus-infected bodies can be buried.
"Yesterday, a Muslim, who died due to coronavirus in Mumbai, was not buried (the man was cremated) and there is anger in the community over the issue," the Congress leader said.
He demanded that one side of existing 'kabristaans' in Mumbai be earmarked, as per medical specifications, for people who have died of COVID-19.
However, if there is any input on spread of the coronavirus (from such sites), the government should allot designated burial grounds in eastern and western suburbs of Mumbai and also in all districts of thestate, Khan said.
He also asked for same facility for other communities who bury their dead.
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