The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has cancelled the agreement with Popular Front of India (PFI) for the burial of deceased COVID-19 Muslim patients.
This comes after senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis raised strong objection against appointing PFI for the burial of Muslims who die of COVID-19. Fadnavis had slammed the Shiv Sena-ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for allowing PFI for the same job.
Earlier, Fadnavis questioned the stand of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on the nomination of PFI to bury COVID-19 Muslim victims. While alleging that it has links to violence during the CAA-NRC protests, the BJP leader said that PFI is recognised for anti-national and anti-social activities and the organisation was likely to be banned in certain states.
“Whenever there is suspected COVID-19 death/COVID-19 death of Muslim patients, all Hospital in charge are directed to inform the following four coordinators from Popular Front India, in addition to local Police Station and local Medical Officer of Health (MOH),” the order dated May 18 by the BMC read.
As soon as the issue came into light, the BJP-led PMC had to withdraw the order to save itself from the embarrassment since the opposition came from the party’s top leadership in Maharashtra.
The letter of cancellation of the agreement with the PFI states that the PMC had allowed the PFI for the disposal of COVID-19 dead bodies. The letter was issued on June 2 and was signed by PMC Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad.
Fadnavis, former Maharashtra Chief Minister, expressed shock over BMC’s giving legitimacy to PFI. The order by the civic body listed the name and contact details of four coordinators from the Task Force Team from PFI which has been allowed to facilitate the burial of Muslim dead bodies.
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