Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took aim at the Centre over the move to extinguish the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at India Gate and merge it with the National War Memorial.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday expressed sadness that the Amar Jawan Jyoti flame at India Gate, an iconic landmark in the national capital
It is a matter of great sadness that the immortal flame that used to burn for our brave soldiers will be extinguished today,” Rahul Gandhi said in a tweet.
In a subtle jibe at the Centre, the Congress MP added, “Some people cannot understand patriotism and sacrifice – never mind We will once again light the Amar Jawan Jyoti for our soldiers.”
Military officials confirmed on Thursday that the flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti will be extinguished on and merged with the flame at the National War Memorial, which is just 400 metres away on the other side of India Gate.
The eternal flame, lit in memory of the soldiers who were martyred during the India-Pakistan war in 1971, will be doused on Friday afternoon.
The Amar Jawan Jyoti was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on January 26, 1972.
The National War Memorial was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 25, 2019, as a monument to soldiers and unsung heroes who have laid down their lives for the nation since Independence. The names of 25,942 soldiers have been inscribed in golden letters on granite tablets at the memorial.
