Ashes must be buried on ground and saplings planted on it, says BJP minister, sparks row

The former Mumbai Police Commissioner had in past made several controversial remarks.

New Delhi: In a statement which is not likely to go down well with majority Hindus and the saints and seers, Union Minister Satyapal Singh on Wednesday urged people to bury ashes in the grounds and plant saplings on it.

Talking to reporters, Singh said, ''As per present situation, I appeal to everyone, ashes must be buried in ground and saplings should be planted on it, so even coming generations can remember (the deceased).''

As per present situation, I appeal to everyone, ashes must be buried in ground & saplings should be planted on it, so even coming generations can remember (the deceased). I urge all priests, associated with rituals, to create awareness among ppl over it: Satyapal Singh,Union Min pic.twitter.com/EtQZdeKvhX

— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2017

''I urge all priests, associated with rituals, to create awareness among people over it,'' the minister said.

When asked to comment that his statement would trigger a controversy, Singh said, ''People have beliefs, but it is the demand of today's time to revisit them, we must not do anything that affects the purity of Ganga.''

The senior BJP minister, who was also a former Police Commissioner of Mumbai, had in past made several controversial statements, triggering a row.

Addressing a gathering of linguists, foreign students and local politicians at the Central Hindi Institute, Singh recently said, ''Only Hindi language can unite the country."

Singh had also raised many eyebrows by saying that "men will not want to marry women who wear jeans". 

The statement from the Minister of State for Human Resource Development came during a meeting that was held in Gorakhpur last week.

The minister made the controversial remarks during the concluding ceremony of the foundation day of Maharana Pratap Siksha Parishad (MPSP), the academic venture of Gorakhnath temple.

The meeting was also attended by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was sharing the stage with the minister.

“No boy will be ready to marry a girl who comes to the mandap (wedding stage) in jeans,” He added that “…no saint will be revered if he gives up his traditional attire and wears jeans.”

The minister, with his comments, has joined a long list of politicians and institutions that have earlier come under the spotlight for their sexist comments.

Earlier, during the UP Assembly election campaign,  BJP leader Vinay Katiyar had commented about Priyanka Gandhi’s electoral campaign by saying that his party also had 'more women campaigners who were more beautiful than Priyanka Gandhi'.

Another leader, Abu Azmi of Samajwadi Party had grabbed headlines after he blamed women who wore ‘half dress’ while reacting about the mass molestation that occurred in Bengaluru during last year's New year eve celebrations.

(With Agency inputs)