Amar Jawan Jyoti Row | Flame Not Being Extinguished, Will Be Merged With One At War Memorial: Govt Sources
NWM contains names of all the Indian Defence personnel who lost their lives during different operations from the 1947-48 war with Pakistan till the clash in the Galwan valley with the Chinese Army.
New Delhi: The government is facing flak from the opposition over the merger of Amar Jawan Jyoti at the India Gate with the one at the National War Memorial (NWM) after 50 years.
The ceremony’s details were shared by an Indian army official with news agency ANI who said, “Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at India Gate will be extinguished and merged with the flame at the National War Memorial on Friday in a ceremony.”
Countering the opposition’s attack a government official told ANI that there is a lot of misinformation regarding the Amar Jawan Jyoti.
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“The flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti is not being extinguished. It is being merged with flame at National War Memorial,” the official told news agency ANI.
The names of all Indian martyrs from all the wars, including 1971 & wars before & after it are housed at the National War Memorial. Hence it is a true 'Shraddhanjali' to have the flame paying tribute to martyrs there: GoI Sources
— ANI (@ANI) January 21, 2022
It further added, “It was an odd thing to see that the flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti paid homage to the martyrs of the 1971 and other war heroes but none of their names are present there but now the names of all Indian martyrs from all the wars, including 1971 and wars before and after it are housed at the National War Memorial. This would be a true tribute to our fallen heroes.”
“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,” it was further said.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi wrote on Twitter, “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!”
The Amar Jawan Jyoti was installed at the India Gate in the 1970s to symbolise India’s great victory against Pakistan. India Gate is a British-era structure built in the memory of Indian soldiers who were martyred between 1914 and 1921.
The National War memorial was built by the NDA government and inaugurated in 2019. This War Memorial contains names of all the Indian Defence personnel who lost their lives during different operations from the 1947-48 war with Pakistan till the clash in the Galwan valley with the Chinese Army.
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