MP Support For Cemetary Proposal

Mr Chaudhry said the facility, funded and run by a private consortium of local businesses, would not only ease costs but also adhere to a key aspect of Islamic tradition, which states that a person must make haste to bury their dead.

A spokesman for Ealing Council said burial costs are £1,700 - £1,148 for the purchase of the grave and £552.00 for the digging. It does not charge for the burial of children up to 13-years-old.

By comparison, Hammersmith and Fulham Council charges a total of £2,100 and Brent charges £2,122.

Mr Chaudhry, who runs Chaudhry's TKC restaurant in The Broadway said: "We are looking to establish an independently run, low-cost cemetery as we feel that for the average family, the price of burial is astronomical.

"There's been major issues within the community whereby people who are below the poverty line have problems burying their loved ones as there is so much money involved."

Mr Chaudry said bereaved families would receive assistance based on their means and added that though the cemetery would be predominantly muslim, there was the possibility of including other faiths on the site.

"The next step is to identify a suitable spot, preferably one that is in or near Southall, and we are currently looking around the area.

"We would like Ealing Council to help us with this but otherwise we will try and find one ourselves."

And he also has backing from Southall MP Virendra Sharma. Mr Sharma said: "If a site is found for a muslim cemetery then I will be supporting the campaign.

"I'm not saying the council is not taking its responsibilities seriously, but if these are the wishes of the local community then we should respect them."

Last month Muslim and Christian graves were attacked at a cemetery in Merrick Road, Southall. Police described the incident as an attack against faith