Residents of eight housing societies in Thane have come together against the burial of a freedom fighter on an open plot, fearing it will make way for a new graveyard in the area.
While the local residents say they respect the sentiments of the Christian community, they are against a graveyard coming up in the densely-populated residential area. The Christian community, on the other hand, has said that if the plot is not regularised as a cemetery, they will boycott the Lok Sabha elections.
On March 20, the community buried a 95-year-old army man A. Jessiah on a plot off Pokhran road no 2. The burial sparked several debates among the residents of the housing societies, Ravi Estate, Suresh Park, Cosmos, and Rainart, who have written to the Thane Municipal Corporation, police commissioner and other authorities urging that Jessiah’s burial should not lead to a new cemetery on the plot.
Land under dispute
Mahesh Nadkarni, a resident of Ravi Estate, said the plot in question has been under dispute for long but was originally marked as a playground. “If it has been reserved for a playground, it should be used for the same purpose,” said Mr. Nadkarni. He said the residents are preparing to file a public interest litigation in the matter. On March 26, 11 community members were arrested by the Vartak Nagar police after the Thane Municipal Corporation filed a first information report against them for carrying out a burial in a plot not marked as cemetery. They were released on bail the same day.
“The area consists of many residential buildings. Our children play there. It is not right to make a graveyard in that space suddenly,” said Sanika Amberkar, another resident of Ravi Estate. “We are not against the Christian community or the burial ground. We just feel they should be given an alternative location. The authorities should step in and make the arrangements.”
‘Sensitive issue’
According to Dattatray More, a resident of Suresh Park, the open ground is known as Jankadevi Maidan because of a temple located on it. “There is a compost pit and a small play area where slides and swings have been put up for children. It is in this corner that the burial has taken place,” said Mr. More. “It has now become a sensitive community issue.”
Melwyn Fernandes, a member of the Association of Concerned Catholics, said only part of the land is disputed. “About 21,000 square metres is under dispute in the High Court. However, 2,600 square metres is marked as a residential zone and is under the St. John the Baptist Church Trust. We have carried out the burial in the small plot,” said Mr. Fernandes, who was among the 11 parishioners arrested by the Vartak Nagar police.
He said, “The burial ground that we have is already stacked with many graves. We had no other choice.”