George Fernandes to be cremated today

New Delhi: Socialist leader and former defence minister George Fernandes (88), who died on Tuesday after prolonged illness, will be cremated in the Lodhi Road electric crematorium here on Thursday at 3 PM. He being a Christian, the burial of his ashes will take place the next day on Friday at 11 AM at the Christian cemetery at the Prithviraj Road. Family sources said he had desired that his body should be confined to the electric crematorium. There is a history behind his desire. As a proponent of the Konkan Railway, he was upset at the Church in Goa opposing it on the ground that it would disturb the dead in the cemeteries. He said if that were true, he would prefer electric crematorium to avoid being disturbed in the grave.
His body has been kept at his residence at S-114, Panchsheel Park here for paying homage. Those who turned up on Wednesday included union minister Ram Vilas Paswan and Bihar Deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi. A memorial prayer meeting will be held there on Thursday at 11 AM. The last journey to the crematorium will be in an Army vehicle.