Former Union Minister and BJP Rajya Sabha Member K.J. Alphons has courted a controversy for allegedly conducting an elaborate funeral of his mother in violation of the COVID-19 protocol.
The controversy erupted after Mr. Alphons posted a video on his social media page the other day in connection with the launch of an anti-hunger initiative. In the video, he also stated that his mother, Brijith Joseph, had died of COVID-19 two months ago.
The statement, however, drew a sharp reaction from those who had attended her funeral held at his native place in Manimala, Kottayam.
In a social media post, activist Jomon Puthenpurackal alleged that when the news of the death was officially announced through the media, it was nowhere mentioned that she had died of COVID-19. “Her body was laid to rest at Manimala, the native place of Mr. Alphons, after it was kept at his home and the church for the public to pay homage,” he said.
Clarification
Responding to the allegation, Mr. Alphons soon came up with a clarification that his mother had tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 five days before death.
“Even though she was cured of COVID by 5th, her vital organs were badly damaged due to COVID. Her lungs collapsed and finally died of heart seizure. So is it wrong to say that she died of COVID?..,” Mr. Alphons’s message on his Facebook page read.
To back his argument, he also posted a copy of the results showing his mother testing negative for SARS-CoV-2.
Brijith Joseph, 91, had died at AIIMS, New Delhi on June 10 and her dead body was airlifted to Kottayam for a funeral four days later.
