TISI Sangam Condemns PS Dr. Sivendra Michael’s Remarks on Religious Funeral Rites

The Then India Sanmarga Ikya (TISI) Sangam has strongly condemned remarks made by Permanent Secretary for Environment and Climate Change, Dr. Sivendra Michael, regarding alternative ways to handle human ashes, calling them disrespectful and an attack on religious freedoms.

TISI Sangam National President, Parveen Bala, said Dr. Michael’s suggestion, which included composting as an alternative to scattering ashes in rivers or oceans, undermines sacred religious funeral rites that have been practiced by Fijians for generations.

“Scattering ashes is not littering, and there is no legal basis for regulating it,” Bala said.

He further stated that cremated remains are biodegradable minerals and do not cause pollution, criticizing the Permanent Secretary for what he called a lack of scientific understanding.

Bala has called on Dr. Michael to resign and demanded an immediate retraction and public apology to all concerned religious communities in Fiji.

“This is not just about one religious practice—this is about the rights of all Fijians to freely practice their faith without interference,” he said.