Amar Jawan Jyoti to merge with National War Memorial flame: 10 things to know

The ‘eternal flame’ of the India Gate landmark, Amar Jawan Jyoti, will be put out after 50 years in a ceremony in Delhi on Friday, military sources confirmed. 

The decision has been slammed by opposition leaders, who have termed the flame’s merger with the National War Memorial flame a ‘national tragedy’. Here is all you need to know about the controversy. 

1. 

The ceremony will take place on Friday afternoon, days before the country’s Republic Day on January 26. The flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti will be merged with the flame at the National War Memorial, which is just 400 metres away on the other side of India Gate, military sources said.  

Also Read: Amar Jawan Jyoti row: Opposition vs Government

2. 

The programme, scheduled to begin at 3.30 in the afternoon, will be presided over by the Integrated Defence Staff chief, Air Marshal Balabadhra Radha Krishna, in the absence of serving Chief of Defence Staff, officials said.   

3. The decision has been taken as the maintenance and upkeep of the two war memorial flames in such close proximity to each other is becoming increasingly difficult, NDTV reported, citing sources.

4. The Amar Jawan Jyoti, which translates to Flame of the Immortal Soldier in English, was built after the Indo-Pakistani War in 1971 to commemorate the martyrs of the war. It is located under the India Gate at Rajpath in New Delhi. 

5. It was inaugurated by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1972, who paid respects to the fallen soldiers on the country’s 23rd Republic Day. 

6. Opposition leaders have reacted strongly to the decision of ‘extinguishing’ the flame and its subsequent merger. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi said, “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.”

Also Read: Amar Jawan Jyoti: History and significance

7. Government sources have claimed that this criticism is based on ‘misinformation’. Amit Malviya, the national convener of the IT cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said, “The flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti is not being extinguished. It is being merged with the flame at the National War Memorial. It was an odd thing to see that the flame at Amar Jawan Jyoti paid homage to the martyrs of the 1971 and other wars but none of their names are present there.”

8. Speaking of opposition leaders who have criticised the move, Malviya said, “It is ironic that people who did not make a National War Memorial for seven decades are now making a hue and cry when a permanent and fitting tribute is being made to our martyrs.”

Also Read: 21 years since India’s Kargil war victory: Defence minister pays tributes at National War Memorial

9. The War Memorial, built over 40 acres at a cost of 176 crore rupees, had been inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 25, 2019, with names of nearly 26,000 martyred fighters inscribed on granite tablets. The memorial honours Indian military soldiers who fought wars for independent India.

10. After the inauguration of the building, all military ceremonial events were shifted to the War memorial from the India gate memorial, reported ANI.