Recently when an Aalim died, several public programs were held to commemorate his death.

Answer

People have drifted far, far from the Deen. They are addicted to merrymaking, fun and functions. To satisfy their nafsaaniyat they fabricate functions out of the births and deaths of people. On whatever episode they can lay their hands, they will manufacture a function of merrymaking. Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam), the Khulafa-e-Raashideen and countless great Auliya and Mashaaikh had died and never were functions held to commemorate or remember them. There is no basis in the Sunnah for such functions. The organizers are only craving for cheap publicity. All these functions are pure nafsaaniyat. May Allah Ta'ala save us from such deviation.