The Madras High Court has suggested to the Tamil Nadu government to ensure common burial/ cremation grounds throughout the state for members of all communities.
Justice R Mahadevan gave the suggestion while disposing of a writ petition from Kalaiselvi and Rajaram, praying for a direction to the Kallakurichi district Collector to allocate a permanent place for burial ground for Arunthathiyar community.
The judge suggested that all the boards put up in the cremation grounds situated in every village/block/district by different communities to use that part of the land exclusively for their castes and communities be removed and allow the entire cremation grounds to be used for the members of all castes and communities without any discrimination.
The other suggestions included constructing and maintaining common cremation/ burial grounds in every village without any distinction whatsoever on the basis of caste and community within the respective religion without in any way impinging upon the right of every citizen to their fundamental right under Article 25 of the Constitution.
The judge also suggested to the government to include, as part of the school curriculum, the values of religious and communal tolerance and mutual respect for differences and diversity in religion, community, culture and tradition.
