Thiruvananthapuram: Kottayam district in Kerala holds the proud achievement of being India’s first fully literate town since 1989, but the town known for its high human development index and even a two centuries-old college had its moment of shame on Sunday night.
Much like ignorant crowds in some other parts of India who have feared that even burial of COVID-19 patients can spread coronavirus in the vicinity, there were unruly scenes at Muttambalam in Kottayam town when authorities prepared to cremate the body of a COVID-19 victim, identified as Ouseph George, 83.
For nearly four and a half hours, local residents protested outside the public crematorium. Despite police and municipal officials trying to impress on the residents that a victim’s funeral would not spread coronavirus, local people held a sit-down protest and even put up a temporary fence at the entrance to the crematorium.
The residents of the Ambedkar Colony nearby argued that the body would have to be taken to the crematorium by a road that passed through the colony and that there were homes close to the crematorium.
Some residents were objecting to the idea of cremating George at the public crematorium instead of at the deceased man’s parish church at Chungam in Kottayam town. However, health authorities decided to conduct the cremation at the public crematorium, keeping to COVID-19 protocols.
The protests gathered strength as the local ward councilor T. N. Harikumar who represents the Bharatiya Janata Party also joined them, and dozens of women also joined the protestors. The protests that began around 2.30pm on Sunday continued till about 7pm, when the police and district administration authorities withdrew from the scene after holding talks with local leaders.
Later in the evening, the district administration decided to go ahead with the cremation. In a swift move, the body was taken to the crematorium around 10.45pm and a large posse of police blocked the entry to the crematorium even as local residents got wind of the cremation. The cremation was over in about half an hour.
On social media, several people commented that it was a “moment of shame” for the first fully literate town in the country to object to a COVID-19 victim’s cremation.
Authorities said the cremation was done by adhering to strict COVID-19 protocols at the municipal crematorium.
It was in 1989 that Kottayam town became the first town in India to achieve total literacy. That triggered a wave across the state towards achieving total literacy. Ernakulam became the first district to do so and later all 14 districts achieved the status, making Kerala India’s first fully literate state.
