Rae Bareli, May 25 (IANS): Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi has sent three truckloads of firewood to enable the poor to cremate their dead in Rae Bareli, her parliamentary constituency.

According to party spokesman Vinay Dwivedi: "Soniaji has directed her representative K.L. Sharma to arrange wood for cremation and now the party cadres will help the poor in cremating their near and dear ones."

Cremation in Rae Bareli takes place at Gokna, Dalmau and Gegaso ghats on the banks of the Ganga and many poor people are burying their dead by the riverside in absence of money to buy firewood for their last rites.

Several bodies of suspected Covid patients were seen floating in Ganga at several places in UP earlier this month, prompting administration to step in with help to cremate bodies.

The Yogi Adityanath government has announced Rs 5,000 for cremation of all the poor in the villages, while the state's labour welfare council too has separately announced Rs 7,500 for the purpose.