[orc]Actress Sridevi was accorded a State Funeral and the National Flag was draped around her coffin. Was she accorded the state funeral because she was a Padma awardee? Here is a fact check.
Actress Sridevi was accorded a ‘State Funeral’ and the national flag was draped around her body. Twitter was abuzz with speculation that the ‘State Funeral’ to Sridevi was because of her being a Padma Awardee. Is it true that Padma awardees are accorded a ‘State Funeral’? Here is a Fact Check.
What is a ‘State Funeral’?
A ‘State Funeral’ is one where the government will make all arrangements for a funeral along with escort, a procession etc. Detailed instructions are issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs about the individuals eligible for a state funeral, process to be followed among other things.
Who is eligible for a State Funeral?
As per the rules, a ‘State Funeral’ is be accorded in the event of the death of the President, Prime Minister, a former President or a Governor. At the same time, it is the prerogative of the government to order a state funeral for any other dignitary or individual. Hence, many other individuals are accorded state funeral apart from those mentioned in the relevant rules.
In the event of the death of a set of dignitaries, the national flag is half-masted at various places as indicated in the rules.
As is clear from the rules, there is no state funeral for a Padma Awardee. It is purely a prerogative/discretion of the government. Over the years, it has become a precedent to accord the state funeral to well known individuals based on public sentiment. Even in the case of Sridevi, the state funeral is a result of such public sentiment and not because of her Padma award.