Row over 'lotus' at martyrs memorial in Haryana

The political row has intensified between Congress and the BJP over the construction of a "lotus flower" at the "Shaheed Smarak" (Martyrs Memorial) being built to commemorate the sacrifices of the 1857 revolt heroes.

Ambala: The Congress party targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over the "Shaheed Smarak" (Martyrs Memorial) issue in Haryana's Ambala.

The political row intensified between the two parties over the "lotus flower" being built at a height of 200 feet over the memorial.

Congress leader Deependra Hooda said that the project was passed during the Bhupendra Singh Hooda-led Congress government but the BJP has the habit of taking the credit for everything.

"The Hooda-led government had given the green signal for the project in 2007 but now the BJP is trying to take the credit by building a lotus flower over the memorial. I don't understand what's the need for it," Hooda said.

Meanwhile, reacting to the allegations, state Home Minister and senior BJP leader Anil Vij said that Congress is misleading people by presenting wrong facts.

Defending the construction of the lotus flower over the memorial, Vij said that it is being made because, in the 19th century, lotus flowers and chapattis were used by the soldiers to convey the secret message.

"People of Congress party do not know anything about the history and cannot think anything beyond the party," he further alleged.

The Public Works Department started the work of earth filling in December last year.

The memorial is being constructed at a cost of Rs 200 crore near the local IOCL depot on the Ambala-Delhi National Highway.

The memorial will house a museum based on the 1857 revolt heroes, a library, an audio-video museum, a food court, a children’s park, a cafeteria, and an open-air auditorium with a capacity of 750 persons. The facility to show 3-D pictures will also be available.