Two days after he succumbed to over 90 per cent burns, dalit rights activist Bhanubai Vankar was on Monday cremated in Unjha, North Gujarat, even as the Gujarat government gave in to majority of the demands by the deceased's family and dalit activists.
The deceased's family accepted mortal remains of Vankar late night on Sunday after the government accepted most of their demands.
Vankar had self immolated on February 15 in the Patan District Collector's office after the state government failed to regularise a piece of land tilled by a dalit woman named Hemaben. Vankar was a retired government employee and worked in the revenue department.
In the state-wide protests that had broken out following Vankar's death, more than 100 persons, including independent MLA from Vadgam, Jignesh Mevani, were detained and later released.
After taking time, the state government finally gave in and came out with a written undertaking. The undertaking said that the dalit families, who have been given land on paper, will be given the land in six months.
The state government also assured that the issue for which Vankar laid down his life would be resolved in three days time.
In another move, the state government also agreed to transfer Vankar's son and his wife on a posting nearer to his home.
The state government also said that it would consider the demand to award Vankar posthumously.