Hyderabad: A legislator in Andhra Pradesh spent night at a crematorium to convince scared construction workers that there are no ghosts or spirits.
Nimmala Rama Naidu, a first time member of the legislative assembly of the southern Indian state, had dinner at the crematorium in Palakollu in the West Godavari district before spending the night there on June 23 night.
His “brave act” won praises from people such as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reports ndtv.com.
Naidu, a member of the Telugu Desam Party, represents Palakollu in the Andhra Pradesh assembly.
What bothered the 49-year-old legislator on the first night were not ghosts but mosquitoes, and stench from garbage dumped nearby. The area near the cremation ground had been turned into a dump yard.
So for his next sleepover, he came armed with a mosquito net.
Images showed the politician sleeping on a bed with a pink sheet, covering himself with a white blanket.
The plan was to do this for two to three days to prove to people that no ghost had attacked him.
Naidu took the step when workers refused to enter the complex for renovation of the crematorium, simply because they were afraid of ghosts. Someone apparently saw a half-burnt body there and there was instant panic and stories about ghosts circulated.
The legislator says the crematorium had been neglected for several years. The government had sanctioned 30 million rupees eight months ago for refurbishments.
“No contractor came forward to take up the work even though we called for tenders. Two months ago, we found one contractor but the workers were still scared,” he explained.
Naidu is a crusader against superstition. He has decided spend more nights at this crematorium in Palakole of West Godavari district to instill confidence among workers who are afraid of ghosts.