TN CM regrets opposition to burial of doctors who died of coronavirus

Chennai, Apr 21 () Tamil Nadu Chief Minister KPalaniswami on Tuesday regretted the episodes where localsopposed the burial of doctors who died of COVID-19 in the cityand urged all to respect the dedication of the health workers.

He also equated doctors, besides other frontlineworkers in the battle against coronavirus, to God for the"selfless" services rendered by them.

Due protocol was being followed in the burial of suchvictims, he said.

"It is sad the burial of doctors was opposed to at atime when (doctors) are fighting to protect us againstcoronavirus," he wrote on his official twitter handle,@CMOTamilNadu.

"We all should respect their dedication and act withhumanity," he added.

In two separate incidents in the last week, twodoctors died of COVID-19 in the city but locals protestedagainst their burial on grounds of fears of spread of thepandemic.

On both occasions, the mortal remains were buriedelsewhere after officials could not perform the formalities inthe originally selected localities.

Incidentally, on Sunday night an orthopaedic surgeonhad to bury his associate, a neurosurgeon who died of COVID-19, in the middle of the night using his bare hands and ashovel at a crematorium with the help of just two hospitalward boys after the undertakers fled when a mob, protestingthe interment, attacked them using bricks, stones, bottles andsticks and chased them away.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, Palaniswami saidfrontline workers in the battle against COVID-19 such asdoctors, nurses, healthcare workers and police personnel wereengaged in "selfless" duty.

"The whole country is praising them for their work. Iconsider these, who are working to protect lives, equal toGod," he said in the statement.

He further said the government has ordered that theburial or cremation of people who had died of coronavirus bedone with "due protection" but expressed regret over theincidents where people protested against such formalities forthe deceased doctors.

Referring to a couplet from Thirukkural, he urgedpeople to show respect to those selfless persons who die whiletrying to protect the public and sought for due cooperation.

Assuring his government's "total support" to suchfrontline workers, he said it will take due steps to ensuresuch incidents do not repeat and asked them not to have anyfears. SA