Tamil Nadu minister Regupathy stokes row with graveyard-lighting lamp comparison

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Minister S Regupathy on Tuesday stoked a row when he sought to ask whether a dead body can be cremated anywhere other than in a crematorium, while criticising the Madras High Court verdict that allowed lighting of lamp on a stone pillar. 

"A dead body can be cremated only in a crematorium. Can it be cremated elsewhere? Do not change the existing customs and practices. Why attempt to create confusion in Tamil Nadu by delivering such a judgment?" he asked, triggering a slew of angry reactions. 

BJP spokesperson Narayanan Tirupathy criticised Regupathy for his comments and asked him not to criticize the judiciary like a henchman of a gang. “Chief Minister M K Stalin should immediately remove him from the cabinet,” he said. 

Writer Meena Kandasamy asked if Regupathy does realise that he is hurting and offending people.  

“A lamp, a candle, a flame -- these are cultural rituals signifying a beginning, embedded in historic memory. Even the literary history of worship at Thiruparankundram goes all the way back to the 2nd century Sangam text, Paripadal…Tamil cultural & religious practices predate and exist independently of Hindutva appropriation,” she added.