National War Memorial at India Gate: Sheila Dixit Says ‘No’ but Antony Says ‘Yes’

Ms.Sheila Dikshit, Chief Minister of Delhi, said that India Gate is not the right place for setting up the National War Memorial proposed by a Group of Ministers set up in 2009 and presently headed by A.K.Antony, Defence Minister, and suggested that another site should be identified for the purpose.

India Gate

The Group of Ministers recommended in In August 2012 that the National War Memorial be built at the Princess Park complex near India Gate and the Cabinet is yet to take a decision in the matter.

Ms.Dikshit opined that India Gate is the only popular “hangout place”  in the city and that the movements of people would be affected because of security reasons if the Memorial came up there. She further said that the memorial would also affect the ambience of the place.

The Urban Development Ministry and the Delhi Urban Art Commission had also objected earlier to the location of the memorial at India Gate on the grounds that it would adversely affect the ambience at India Gate.

The Armed Forces have been insisting on a War Memorial in New Delhi to commemorate the men who had sacrificed their lives in the various wars and security operations.

Sheila Dixit

A.K.Antony reacted to Sheila Dixit’s stand saying that India Gate is the right place for the memorial. After laying a wreath at the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate to commemorate the 41st anniversary of India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, Mr.Antony told press reporters: “As far as we are concerned, this is the place to have a war memorial. We are very clear.”

We are not surprised.

But we do believe Ms.Dixit spoke sense when she opposed building the memorial at India Gate.

But then we also know that good sense often goes unheeded.

Don’t we actually have too many memorials in the country – by way of statues or whatever – but too few memories of men and events? Memorials should for the most part be in public mind rather than in public space.

As far as Delhi goes in this issue of memorials, perhaps we should have a separate Memorial City dedicated to memorials instead of tampering with the beauty, convenience, and ambience of the various locales in Delhi/New Delhi.

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