Family to fulfil Oommen Chandy's wish for a common man's burial without state honours

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who died on Tuesday had expressed a wish for a common man's burial, and accordingly his mortal remains will be laid to rest without the state honours usually accorded to former CMs.

Chandy's body will be buried in a special tomb built at his parish church in Puthuppally in Kottayam tomorrow, according to Christian rituals -- without the state honours that include a gun salute, among other ceremonial customs Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala said that before his demise, Chandy had expressed to his family his wish to be buried like a common man.

"He wished for a common man's burial for him. His family is fulfilling that wish," Chennithala told PTI.

A govt source said Chandy's family had written to the chief secretary, expressing his wish that he buried without state honours, as a common person.

AICC secretary and MLA P C Vishnunath said the state government has accepted the request of the late leader's family.

"It was Chandy sir's wish, and his family conveyed it to the government. The party also has no say on this matter as it was our late leader's wish", Vishnunath told PTI.

Burials or cremations of former chief ministers of the state are usually held with full state honours after the performance of religious rituals, if any.

In 2010, Congress stalwart and four-time Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran was cremated with full state honours.

While there were no religious rituals performed before the cremation of Communist Chief Ministers like EMS Namboothirippad and E K Nayanar, who died in 1998 and 2004, respectively, they were accorded full state honours.

Preparations are in full swing for the Chandy's funeral ceremony at Puthuppally Orthodox Church in Kottayam district. His body will be buried in an exclusive priests' burial area inside the church premises instead of in his family vault at the cemetery.

Chandy, who served as the Chief Minister of Kerala twice, breathed his last in a private hospital in Bengaluru on Tuesday. His end came while undergoing treatment for cancer, party sources said. He was 79.