After Sitaram Yechury’s passing, social media (here, here, and here) users claimed that he was a Christian by sharing an image where his body was placed in a wooden coffin. Let’s verify the claim made in the post.
Claim: Yechury was Christian because his body was placed in a wooden box.
Fact: No funeral or religious ceremony was held for Sitaram Yechury. His body was placed in a wooden casket, which led to speculation that he was Christian and that he was not cremated according to Hindu customs. In reality, Yechury’s body was donated to AIIMS in Delhi for medical research, which is why it was embalmed and placed in a coffin. Additionally, Yechury has repeatedly stated in the past that he is an atheist. Hence, the claim made in the post is FALSE.
Sitaram Yechury, General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), passed away on the afternoon of 12 September 2024, while receiving treatment for respiratory issues at AIIMS, New Delhi. On 13 September 2024, his body was taken to Jawaharlal Nehru University, where he began his political journey, before being brought to his residence. The following day, 14 September 2024 his body was taken to the party headquarters at AKG Bhavan in Delhi (here and here).
On conducting a reverse image search on the viral photos, we discovered it was originally posted on the JNUSU (Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union) X account. The image shows JNU students honouring the late leader. On 13 September 2024, the account also shared a poster announcing, “The body of Comrade Sitaram Yechury will be kept at the JNUSU office for paying respects.”
Upon further research into Yechury’s religious beliefs, we found that he openly identified as an atheist on multiple occasions. In a speech in Parliament, he mentioned, “I was born into a Telugu Brahmin family in Madras General Hospital. My schooling took place in an Islamic cultural environment in Hyderabad during the Nizam’s rule. I married a Sufi woman with the surname Chisti, so what should my son be called? A Brahmin, a Muslim, a Hindu—what is he?” Additionally, in a 2016 interview with Hindustan Times, he stated that he is an atheist.
The Hindu article stated that “there were no last rites, as his body was donated for medical research at AIIMS.” Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan mentioned that after friends, family, and admirers paid their respects to Yechury, his body was handed over to AIIMS in Delhi for medical research. Donated bodies are utilized by hospitals and medical colleges for research and educational purposes, aiding researchers in advancing scientific knowledge.
During the funeral, Yechury’s body was placed in a wooden casket, leading to speculations that he was Christian and suggesting he was not cremated according to Hindu traditions. However, none of the videos documenting Yechury’s funeral indicate that a Christian service was conducted (here and here). Notably, leaders such as Buddhadev Bhattacharjee, Jyoti Basu, and Somnath Chatterjee have also chosen to donate their bodies (here, here, and here).
To sum up, no last rites were performed for Sitaram Yechury as his body was donated for medical research.
