Now that there is a flame at the National War Memorial the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate has been extinguished and merged with the one at the War Memorial. Some feel that this is a logical, practical move. Others feel that it is a sad day when the iconic Eternal Flame at India Gate is put out.
This is one of the reasons given for extinguishing the flame at India Gate; that the structure was built during British rule and as such represented a colonial past. This is difficult to digest, since the Bravehearts who laid down their lives were Indian, regardless of whether they lived in free India or not.
The Former Chief of Integrated Defence Staff is of the view that this is a ‘needless controversy.’ He reiterated that the Jyoti is not being ‘extinguished’ but ‘merged’ with the one at the National War Memorial.
Many former service personnel feel that this is the right thing to do. It is also practical since visiting dignitaries can visit and wreath-laying ceremonies can be conducted at one place; there is no confusion as to the nation’s war memorial.
In colonial times, the monument used to house the statue of a British monarch which since had been removed. Now a statue of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose has been installed here.
The flame at the Amar Jawan Jyoti was lit in 1972 to commemorate all fallen Indian soldiers. A number of army veterans are upset that this flame has now been doused.
This was a flame that burnt in the consciousness of the nation. Many are just sad that a solemn symbol of the nation’s soldiers is now no more.
Former Air Vice Marshal Manmohan Bahadur tweeted this. The former air force test pilot pointed out that the flame was lit in independent India and that it was ‘sacred’.
There are those who believe there is a political motive behind the ‘shifting’ of the eternal flame.
There is this view that there is no need to stop one thing in order for something else to be born or to survive. There are many memories tied up with the Amar Jawan Jyoti for a lot of people.
Some just feel sad that the image of the flame that burnt for the fallen soldier will now no longer burn at this iconic spot.
Former Chief of Army General Ved Malik has supported the move to merge the flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti into the flame at the National War Memorial. He does not see this as any kind of insult to the fallen soldier and this is a reasonable view. His view that the national war memorial should be extended to the India Gate is also a reasonable view and a good suggestion. This is an inclusive idea that adds rather than subtracts; encompasses rather than excludes. This should be a good rule of thumb for all such decisions– but often isn't.
Do you have something interesting you would like to share? Write to us at [email protected]
