Family dispute breaks out over fate of veteran CPI-M leader Lawrence's body

Kochi, Sep 23 (IANS) The fate of the body of veteran CPI-M leader M.M. Lawrence, who passed away recently, is stuck in limbo after his youngest daughter on Monday approached the Kerala High Court, stating that her father had not given any written instruction to hand over his body to a medical college for study purposes.

The court, after hearing the petition, instructed the procedures to be completed under the Anatomy Act and directed the official considered at the Kalamassery Medical College to do what was needed and until then, the body should be kept in the mortuary.

Asha Lawrence the youngest daughter of the Communist veteran, approached the High Court with a petition that her father was a Christian and had his baptism and wedding at the church and hence he should be buried at his parish, near here.

"I do not know of any such decision that my father had made (to donate his body). This is not mentioned in his autobiography also. If my mother was alive, she would not have agreed to it. So I approached the court," she said.

However, Lawrence's son, advocate M.L.Sajeevan said that it was neither his wish nor that of the CPI-M that his father’s body should be handed over for study purposes to the Medical College hospital here. "My father had told me that he wished to hand over his body and hence my younger sister and I informed the party of the decision and they acted accordingly. Me and my sister Asha for long have not been on talking terms. I and my younger sister acted according to the wish of our father," he said.

On his party, district CPI-M Secretary C.N.Mohanan said the party has no role in this decision of handing over the body of our comrade to the hospital for study purposes. "The two children of Lawrence told us of their decision as that was what our comrade wanted and we acted on it. Now the court has also intervened and as earlier planned, the body will be handed over to the hospital authorities, who will act according to the court’s directive," he said.

There were tense moments when the body was taken from the hall where it was kept and Asha and her son were forcefully removed when they tried to prevent the body of Lawerence from being taken to the hospital where it would be kept in the mortuary till the principal of the college takes the decision.

Lawrence was a Lok Sabha member from Idukki from 1980 till 1984. He was more known for his trade union activities and was a Central Committee member of the CPI-M. He was ailing and was mostly confined to his home here after he left active politics. --IANS sg/

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