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28 Feb, 19
28 Feb, 19
India, Politics

War memorial for martyred soldiers politicised move or not? Jury’s still out

Just months before Lok Sabha polls, PM’s controversial speech during unveiling of war memorial proves that war or not, the election campaign must go on

By Prarthana Mitra

Credit: Twitter/@salute2soldier

The much-anticipated National War Memorial has assumed renewed importance for some and sparked new debates for others; especially because the Centre unveiled it on Monday, at the height of cross-border tension over the Pulwama attack.

PM Modi at National War Memorial in Delhi: At this historical place, I pay my tribute to the brave soldiers who lost their lives in Pulwama and all those bravehearts who sacrifice themselves for protection of India pic.twitter.com/kM2YhciGxN

— ANI (@ANI) February 25, 2019

The monument near India Gate in Delhi was on the cards since 2015, when the Centre had acceded to armed forces’ long-pending demand.

Spread over 40 acres, it comprises four concentric circles, namely the Amar Chakra, Veerta Chakra, Tyag Chakra, and Rakshak Chakra; it also has names of 25,942 Indian soldiers, martyred post-Independence, inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets. Besides this, the complex comprises six bronze murals depicting famous battles fought by the Indian Army, Air Force and Navy.

Prime Minister @narendramodi will dedicate the National War Memorial to the nation in a solemn ceremonial function on February 25th. He will also address ex-servicemen on the occasion. pic.twitter.com/xwTsRsInv3

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) February 24, 2019
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The grand inauguration was replete with IAF helicopters showering rose petals and flying past in ‘Missing Man’ formation; amid that Prime Minister Narendra Modi lit the eternal flame below an obelisk, unveiling the memorial.

Modi launches political attack

The PM’s pointed attack against Congress’s dynastic politics, however, marred the solemnity of the occasion, particularly against the backdrop of the ongoing air strikes and escalating tension in Kashmir; he also raised the Rafale controversy in his keynote address, irking many, including army veterans.

Giving himself a pat on the back for helming the speedy construction of the memorial and implementing the One Rank, One Pension scheme for army veterans, Modi unflinchingly accused the Congress of compromising national security by not purchasing essential equipment for the armed forces.

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“From Bofors to AgustaWestland chopper deal, all the investigations are pointing to one family and it says a lot. Now, these people are making efforts to ensure the Rafale aircraft don’t arrive in the country,” Modi said.

He accused the Congress of pushing the Gandhi family’s personal agenda instead of thinking of “India first”. “They had made the army and national security means of earning for themselves. They wanted to forget the martyrs,” Modi added.

“Major defence decisions in the national interest, earlier ignored or halted, are now being taken without any delay,” he added.

Army veterans irked

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His criticism of the Congress soon backfired. Several former and serving members of the armed forces called the politicisation of the memorial unedifying, disgraceful, and inappropriate for the occasion.

Some are so greedy for the chair, they are prepared to stoop to any low. For them even a sacred place like War Memorial is an opportunity to score political points. https://t.co/y7TEk3L5Gy

— Col Dinesh Kumar(R) (@kkhushal9) February 25, 2019

Many veterans even considered it to be a violation of military protocol and ethos that it was the PM and not the President (the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces) who inaugurated the memorial. Some took to Twitter asking the PM whether he considered the event an election rally.  

It was very unedifying of Modi 2 use the solemn occasion of inauguration of the war memorial 4 political purposes by making a political speech. Just not done. And who were the gents shouting Modi Modi ? Modi is simply using the AF’s 4 votes.Otherwise we R of no consequence 2 him

— K J Singh (@kjsingh2) February 25, 2019

The Opposition, in response, also attacked the PM for using the occasion for political gains and optics. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor questioned the absence of the President, Vice President, Speaker, or the Leader of Opposition.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala tweeted, “The National War Memorial is a symbol of the sacrifices made by our country’s jawans. Do not make it a political battlefield with your shameful behaviour and political speeches. You have already reduced the dignity of your post, now stop abusing political opponents on the land of the brave.”

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, who has been severely critical of the attacks on Kashmiris across India following the Pulwama attack, called Modi’s speech “blatantly political”.

“Credit to the PM Modi for building a national war memorial after 70 years. Disappointed with politician Modi for politicising the occasion by making a blatantly political speech at the inauguration,” he tweeted.

Milking the fabled cow

Modi has never shied away from taking credit. He has been hailed on numerous occasions in the past for taking the initiative to build the National War Memorial and a National War Museum.

But it is ironical that most of them were martyrs to the Partition-era animosity with Pakistan over Kashmir, which has led to three wars so far, bringing us on the brink of another right now.

The Hon’ble PM dedicated the #NationalWarMemorial to the Armed Forces today on behalf of the Nation.The Dedication Ceremony was a solemn occasion wherein 25942 fallen Heroes & 21 Gallant Param Vir Chakra recipients post-independence,got their rightful due through the War Memorial pic.twitter.com/ZOwJqydX4E

— ????????? ??? ?????? / NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL (@salute2soldier) February 25, 2019

By saying that the war memorial is proof that his government converts vision into reality, what Modi has really proved is the Centre’s egregious weaponisation of the army for votes.

If the timing itself wasn’t curious enough—just months before the Lok Sabha polls and hours before Pakistan bombed two Indian fighter planes in retaliation—Modi’s controversial speech certainly proves that war or not, the election campaign must go on.


Prarthana Mitra is a staff writer at Qrius


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