Remodelling the Republic.

 

Past two days have seen two different attempts to revamp India’s glorious past. These attempts are somehow interlinked to each other as both find themselves in the annals of Republic Day celebration. While one is associated with former prime minister of India - Indira Gandhi, another one attempts to dismal the immortal legacy of Mahatma Gandhi.

 Yesterday, nearly about 50 years, the eternal flame of the Amar Jawan Jyoti was doused off with much pump and show. It has to be merged with the one instituted at the National War Memorial built in 2019 a few hundred meters away. The eternal flame of of the Amar Jawan Jyoti had been burning since 1972 marking India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1971 war, which gave the birth to Bangladesh, erstwhile East Pakistan.

 It was lit by the then Prime minister of India Indira Gandhi on the occasion of Republic Day in 1972. India Gate touted as a “symbol of our colonial past” has always been criticized of not bearing the names of our martyred soldiers in different wars. The reasoning behind merging of the flames is that two flames are not needed and fusion of both the flames would give solidarity in paying homage to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the sake of nation, according to the officials.

 Constructed in 2019, the National War Memorial has not been successful enough in gaining popularity as India Gate being the center of attraction for the tourists. With merging of eternal flame to one with established at National War Memorial, the intention of current regime is to channelize the throng of visitors towards war memorial. Every year 29th January witnesses the historical Beating Retreating ceremony which concludes the now one-week long Republic Day celebration. Traditionally, band of the armed forces, air force, and navy are played along with pipes and drum bands from regimental centers to battalions.

 Since 1950, there has been an ongoing trend of playing ‘Abide by Me’, one of the favorites of father of the nation. This year an attempt has been directed to take it down from the playing list and replace it with the soulful ‘Aye Mere Watan Ke Logon’, the patriotic song written by Kavi Pradeep, composed by C.Ramachandra and sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Endorsed as a ‘Christian hymn’, the rationale behind writing it off the list is that the government intends to give an overall ‘Indian colour’ to the Republic Day celebration. It is yet one more attempt to revamp the India’s history in accordance with the ‘jingoism’ and assertiveness’.

Not long ago, central government had made public, the list of tableaux to be demonstrated at R-Day parade which included projects ranging from union territory of Jammu and Kashmir to the state of Maharashtra. West Bengal’s tableau which would have featured Subhash Chandra Bose was not permitted to be displayed at the parade. It is a malicious attempt to hurt the very spirits of ‘cooperative federalism’. By vilifying the souls of our freedom fighters and dishonoring them on the pretext of Indianization would do no good to the nation. Hence, an attempt to remodel the established narrative has initiated in a full-fledged manner.

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