In 1971, Muslims in Delhi formed just 6.5% of the population. Now they form 11.7% of the citys 1.78 crore population. 18.56% of Mumbais population of 1.26 crore are Muslims, while Lucknow has 29 lakh Muslims. Most Muslims in these cities are ghettoised, often living in close proximity with each other in a small geographic area. These areas lack basic resources; so having a graveyard near your locality can then even be considered a luxury. But every luxury comes at a price. These days, the cost of your final resting place can range between a few thousands and more than a lakh. Many sniff a business opportunity in the space crunch that afflicts graveyards across the country. Pervez Khan, who came to Delhi from Patna five years ago, earns about Rs. 5,000 a month tailoring clothes on the sewing machine that he operates at the side of a road in Jamia Nagar. When Khans sons, Shabbir (9) and Sohail (8), were accidentally electrocuted to death late last year, he went to the Jamia Nagar graveyard to bury them. He was asked to pay a total of Rs. 10,000 for the burial. After much negotiation, the graveyard caretaker agreed to Rs. 6,500. They dont think about the situation of the person. For them, it is someone elses problem. They demand whatever they feel like, says Khan who had to borrow the money from his landlord.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 14:33:58 +0000