Son Moves Supreme Court After Villagers Bar Burial of Pastor in Chhattisgarh

In a heartbreaking case from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, a man has approached the Supreme Court after being denied the right to bury his father in their village graveyard. Ramesh Baghel, a farmer belonging to a Scheduled Caste community, has been forced to keep his father’s body in a mortuary for 12 days due to opposition from local residents.

The dispute erupted after villagers, allegedly backed by a political group, enforced a social boycott against Christians in the area. This ban extended to prohibiting the burial of Christian community members in the common village graveyard, despite Baghel’s grandfather and another relative already being buried there.

Baghel’s father, Subhash, who passed away on January 7, had expressed a wish to be buried next to his family members in the same graveyard. However, local resistance and the subsequent legal challenges have added to the family’s anguish.

The Chhattisgarh High Court, citing law and order concerns and the availability of an alternative burial ground for Christians in a nearby village, ruled against Baghel on January 9. Following the setback, Baghel filed a petition in the Supreme Court, which has issued a notice to the state government seeking their response.

Human rights activist Degree Prasad Chouhan, who is supporting Baghel legally, described the incident as a clear case of religious discrimination. Chouhan criticized the Chhattisgarh government for its inaction, arguing that the family’s fundamental rights are being violated.

As the Supreme Court examines the matter, the case raises significant questions about religious freedom, caste discrimination, and the right to dignity in death. The family and supporters await a resolution, hoping for justice and the fulfillment of Subhash’s final wish