When UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi made her famous ‘maut ke saudagar’ speech during the 2007 Gujarat assembly elections, she was taking a dig at chief minister Narendra Modi for his alleged role in the riots. But guess who else takes serious interest in the dead?
It is Modi’s mentor and the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate LK Advani, who has contributed Rs 28 lakh from his MP Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) funds for the construction of 24 crematoriums in the Ahmedabad-Gandhinagar belt. Advani, who will be contesting from Gandhinagar for the fifth time, is obviously hoping that his effort to ease the final journey of others would further his journey to the Lok Sabha.
Advani started the trend of funding crematoria in 1993, the move obviously aimed at wooing Hindu voters. Other BJP MPs were quick to display the same burning ambitions and even Congress MPs have taken a leaf from his book. “I have spent close to Rs 6 lakh on crematoria after being inspired by Advaniji,” said Ratilal Verma, BJP MP from Dhandhuka.
The most imposing among Advani-funded structures is in upmarket Thaltej, on the highway between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. Advani contributed Rs 15 lakh from his MPLADS fund — which is Rs 2 crore — to this crematorium alone and it remains his biggest showpiece in the constituency.
But despite claims that it is eco-friendly, those who live nearby are fuming. Thaltej residents objected to the smoke blowing into their homes and filed a petition in Gujarat High Court, after which only electric cremation was permitted.
Shrinath Shah, who handles Advani’s MPLADS funds, said the idea of funding crematoriums had come from the people. ‘‘Voters demanded better cremation facilities and Advaniji gave it wherever possible.” Advani actually wanted to build more but some proposals were rejected by village panchayats.
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