Opposition attacks Centre over Amar Jawan Jyoti-National War Memorial flame merger

Former Colonel Rajendra Bhaduri said the Amar Jawan Jyoti is sacred and need not be extinguished

Opposition on Friday attacked the Narendra Modi government over the extinguishing of the eternal flame 'Amar Jawan Jyoti' at the India Gate even as government sources claimed that the flame is not being extinguished but merged with the one at the nearby National War Memorial.

The Opposition leaders felt that the ruling BJP was attempting to rewrite history and employing "memory erasure" tactics on the history of India while government sources alleged that it was "ironic that people who did not make a National War Memorial for seven decades" are now making a "hue and cry when a permanent and fitting tribute" is being made to our martyrs.

However, government sources said that there was a lot of misinformation regarding the Amar Jawan Jyoti. Sources mentioned that the Amar Jawan Jyoti is not being extinguished and is being "merged with the flame" at the National War Memorial, which is 400 metres away from the Amar Jawan Jyoti.

Also Read | Amar Jawan Jyoti to be doused, to be merged with War Memorial flame

Sources went on to say that it was "odd" to see that the flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti paid homage to the martyrs of the 1971 and other wars but none of their names is present there. "The names inscribed on the India Gate are of only some martyrs who fought for the British in World War 1 & the Anglo-Afghan War & thus is a symbol of our colonial past," they said adding names of all martyrs from all wars are inscribed at the war memorial.

"Hence it is a true shraddhanjali to have the flame paying tribute to martyrs there," they said defending the decision.

In February 2019 while briefing on the National War Memorial, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff Lt Gen PS Rajeshwar had said that a new flame will come up at the war memorial "but the eternal flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti will stay. We have inherited that flame."

Also Read | Amar Jawan Jyoti being merged, not extinguished, clarifies Centre

Top Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted, "it is a matter of great sadness that the immortal flame that used to burn for our brave soldiers will be extinguished today.
Some people cannot understand patriotism and sacrifice - never mind… We will once again light the Amar Jawan Jyoti for our soldiers!"

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha Deputy Leader Priyanka Chaturvedi said, "how many more ideas and monuments we hold dear need to be reworked to make way for a ‘New India’?
Sad and Anguished....PS: Spare me gyaan on merging it with another flame at War Memorial. Why can’t we keep both?"

Senior RJD MP Manoj K Jha said, "it was understandable that the present regime may not have a sense of attachment/belonging with the 'glories of the past but it is beyond comprehension when you resort to such 'memory erasure' tactics..It is neither good politics nor good optics. Jai Hind."

Also Read | Amar Jawan Jyoti to be doused, to be merged with War Memorial flame

Congress Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari said, "whatever is being done is a national tragedy and an attempt to rewrite history. Merging Amar Jawan Jyoti with War Memorial Torch means erasing history. BJP has built a National War Memorial, that does not mean they can extinguish Amar Jawan Jyoti."

A former IAF pilot, Congress' Lok Sabha MP Uttam Kumar Reddy said he felt sad to read about the decision. "Highly inappropriate! Most countries have several war memorials!! No need to extinguish existing Amar Jawan Jyoti!!" he added.

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