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Congress leader Manish Tewari came forward against the move and said that extinguishing of the Amar Jawan Jyoti is nothing short of a ‘crime’.
Image: ANI/ PTI
The Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at Delhi’s India Gate will be doused on Friday after being lit for 50 years. The flame, lit in memory of the soldiers who had made the supreme sacrifice during the India-Pakistan war in 1971, will now be merged with the adjoining National War Memorial ahead of Republic Day. Reacting to the move, several Congress leaders have now come forward calling it ‘sad’.
Congress leader Manish Tewari came forward against the move and said that the extinguishing of the Amar Jawan Jyoti is no short of a ‘crime’. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the Lok Sabha MP asked the government why the country couldn’t have two eternal flames. “Extinguishing Amar Jawan Jyoti tantamounts to extinguishing history,” he tweeted.
Extinguishing Amar Jawan Jyoti tantamounts to extinguishing history
For it commentates sacrifice of those 3,483 brave soldiers who cleaved Pakistan into 02 parts & redrew map of South Asia post partition
It is ironical that in 50 th year of liberation1/1https://t.co/QZztoleuL4— Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) January 21, 2022
“For it commentates sacrifice of those 3,483 brave soldiers who cleaved Pakistan into 02 parts & redrew the map of South Asia post-partition. It is ironic that in the 50th year of the liberation of Bangladesh Government seems to be working overtime to erase India’s finest hour in Post Independent History. Amar Jawan Jyoti is imbued in the National Consciousness. A billion people have grown up venerating it. Why can’t India have two eternal flames? Amar Jawan Jyoti & National War Memorial,” Tewari tweeted.
Furthermore, he added that the Central Vista plan in itself was a problematic move. “Redeveloping the Central Vista was hubris enough but extinguishing the eternal flame at India gate is nothing short of a crime. I am surprised that the nation is silent as a national icon would be snuffed out in the project to re-write History,” he added.
Rahul Gandhi terms dousing of the eternal flame ‘sad’
Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also came forward against the move. However, the Congress MP in his tweet said that his party would once again light the flame which is being doused by the current government. “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!” he tweeted.
बहुत दुख की बात है कि हमारे वीर जवानों के लिए जो अमर ज्योति जलती थी, उसे आज बुझा दिया जाएगा।
कुछ लोग देशप्रेम व बलिदान नहीं समझ सकते- कोई बात नहीं…
हम अपने सैनिकों के लिए अमर जवान ज्योति एक बार फिर जलाएँगे!— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 21, 2022
The Amar Jawan Jyoti
The Amar Jawan Jyoti was first lit in 1972 when it was included as part of the India Gate memorial. The memorial has an inverted bayonet and soldier’s helmet along with an eternal flame, paying homage to fallen soldiers of the Indo-Pakistan war. Every Republic Day, the prime minister in office would pay tribute to the soldiers at the site. The National War Memorial was inaugurated in 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the heroes who laid down their lives for the nation since Independence. The two flames are now being merged to form one eternal flame.
Image: ANI/ PTI
Last Updated: 21st January, 2022 10:42 IST Congress leader Manish Tewari came forward against the move and said that extinguishing of the Amar Jawan Jyoti is nothing short of a ‘crime’. Image: ANI/ PTI The Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at Delhi’s India Gate will be doused on Friday after being lit for 50 years. The flame, lit in memory of the soldiers who had made the supreme sacrifice during the India-Pakistan war in 1971, will now be merged with the adjoining National War Memorial ahead of Republic Day. Reacting to the move, several Congress leaders have now come forward calling it ‘sad’. Congress leader Manish Tewari came forward against the move and said that the extinguishing of the Amar Jawan Jyoti is no short of a ‘crime’. Taking to his official Twitter handle, the Lok Sabha MP asked the government why the country couldn’t have two eternal flames. “Extinguishing Amar Jawan Jyoti tantamounts to extinguishing history,” he tweeted. Extinguishing Amar Jawan Jyoti tantamounts to extinguishing history For it commentates sacrifice of those 3,483 brave soldiers who cleaved Pakistan into 02 parts & redrew map of South Asia post partition It is ironical that in 50 th year of liberation1/1https://t.co/QZztoleuL4 — Manish Tewari (@ManishTewari) January 21, 2022 “For it commentates sacrifice of those 3,483 brave soldiers who cleaved Pakistan into 02 parts & redrew the map of South Asia post-partition. It is ironic that in the 50th year of the liberation of Bangladesh Government seems to be working overtime to erase India’s finest hour in Post Independent History. Amar Jawan Jyoti is imbued in the National Consciousness. A billion people have grown up venerating it. Why can’t India have two eternal flames? Amar Jawan Jyoti & National War Memorial,” Tewari tweeted. Furthermore, he added that the Central Vista plan in itself was a problematic move. “Redeveloping the Central Vista was hubris enough but extinguishing the eternal flame at India gate is nothing short of a crime. I am surprised that the nation is silent as a national icon would be snuffed out in the project to re-write History,” he added. Rahul Gandhi terms dousing of the eternal flame ‘sad’ Meanwhile, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also came forward against the move. However, the Congress MP in his tweet said that his party would once again light the flame which is being doused by the current government. “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!” he tweeted. बहुत दुख की बात है कि हमारे वीर जवानों के लिए जो अमर ज्योति जलती थी, उसे आज बुझा दिया जाएगा। कुछ लोग देशप्रेम व बलिदान नहीं समझ सकते- कोई बात नहीं… हम अपने सैनिकों के लिए अमर जवान ज्योति एक बार फिर जलाएँगे! — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 21, 2022 The Amar Jawan Jyoti The Amar Jawan Jyoti was first lit in 1972 when it was included as part of the India Gate memorial. The memorial has an inverted bayonet and soldier’s helmet along with an eternal flame, paying homage to fallen soldiers of the Indo-Pakistan war. Every Republic Day, the prime minister in office would pay tribute to the soldiers at the site. The National War Memorial was inaugurated in 2019 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to honour the heroes who laid down their lives for the nation since Independence. The two flames are now being merged to form one eternal flame. Image: ANI/ PTI