The way people were being forced to bury their loved ones contradicted their long-held beliefs, the Hindu community lamented.

"Malta should show some maturity and be more responsive to the hurt feelings of its hard-working, harmonious and peaceful Hindu community, which had been in the country since the 1800s and had made lot of contributions to the nation and society, and continued to do so," Hindu statesman Rajan Zed said in a statement in Nevada on Tuesday.

Cremation for the Hindu community signifies spiritual release and helped sever ties to earthly life, he added.

A Bill allowing the practice was approved in Parliament earlier in 2019. Malta, however, still does not have a crematorium.

“It was simply heartbreaking for the community to perform something in clear violation of their faith,” they said.

Mr Zed added that Malta should allow the community to cremate the deceased on traditional open pyres for which Malta should build a cremation ground.

Mr Zed insisted the tenets of Hinduism and other world religions should be taught in all Malta state schools at par with religious teaching of the Roman Catholic faith.

“Opening-up the Malta children to major world religions and non-believers’ viewpoint would make them well-nurtured, well-balanced, and enlightened citizens of tomorrow,” he added.

Malta should also provide some land for a Hindu temple, he said, adding Maltese Hindus did not have a “proper traditional worship space”. This, he added, would be in line with the Constitution which outlined that people should have full freedom of conscience and enjoy the free exercise of their religion.