Meerut: A week after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's graveyard-cremation ground remark sparked a row, firebrand BJP leader Sakshi Maharaj on Tuesday said there should be no graveyard at all in the country and all should be cremated.

The BJP MP from Unnao said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a crematorium should be constructed next to a graveyard. But graveyards should not be constructed at all. If this happens, all land in the country will be used for this purpose and no space will be left for practising agriculture... There will be no fields."

Chaahe naam kabristan ho, chaahe shamshan ho, daah hona chahiye, kisi ko gaadne ki aveshyakta nahin hai: Sakshi Maharaj, BJP pic.twitter.com/zbwLzrqeVn — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 28, 2017

Maharaj, who is known for his off-the-cuff, occasionally controversial remarks, claimed, "There is no tradition of constructing graveyards in Islamic countries across the world. The bodies are cremated in these countries. There are about 3.5 crore Hindu saints in India. They follow the tradition of burying the dead.

"So, I want to appeal to the Prime Minister that there should be only one cremation ground which should lead to 'jannat' or 'moksh dwaar'."

The BJP leader said a new law with "no room for graveyards should be enacted. There should be a joint crematorium for all. And if there is one, the outcome will be positive".

2-2.5cr sadhu hain sabki samadhi lage kitni zameen jayegi, 20cr Muslims hain sabko kabr chahiye Hindustan mein jagah kahan milegi: S Maharaj pic.twitter.com/27XunXowiH — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) February 28, 2017

Later, clarifying his remarks, he said, "The population of the country is increasing and their is a paucity of land. Where will people live if all the land is used for constructing graveyards.

"I am not against what the Prime Minister has said. I said that whatever the name of the place maybe, it should serve the purpose of cremating the dead. There is no need to bury anyone."

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