Martyrs’ kin to celebrate Victory Day at Memorial

PUNE, Sept 11: A congregation of close relatives and dear ones of the martyrs in uniform hailing from Maharashtra who sacrificed their li...

PUNE, Sept 11: A congregation of close relatives and dear ones of the martyrs in uniform hailing from Maharashtra who sacrificed their lives in defending the freedom of the country during the last 51 years is being planned in Pune near the unique war memorial at Morwada Gardens on `Vijay Divas’ (Victory Day) on December 16.

This was indicated today by the executive president of the State Planning Commission Prakash Jawadekar. On December 16, 1971, Pakistan’s general in the eastern theatre surrendered to his Indian counterpart along with more than 90,000 Pak troops. This led to the liberation and creation of sovereign Bangla Desh.

Jawadekar was speaking to the members of the Express-Citizens’ War Memorial Committee while accompanying former defence minister and Rajya Sabha member Pramod Mahajan at the War Memorial site. Mahajan garlanded the scroll of honour containing more than 12,000 names of martyrs in uniform from all over the country, which has been enshrined in a casket in front of the monument. On marble panels surrounding the monument are names of 1,080 officers and men from the three wings of the armed forces hailing from Maharashtra.

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Mahajan hailed the initiative of citizens’ in erecting this trend-setting memorial at Pune. He suggested that the gate should carry the description of the memorial in Marathi, such as `Rashtriya Yuddha Smarak (Maharashtra)’.

Jawadekar suggested that kin of the martyrs from all over the state should be invited to Pune for a get-together, involving in this effort the State Soldiers’ Welfare Board. Vijay Divas would be an ideal day for such a rally. He indicated that the State government could play a major role in organising such a unique rally at the unique war memorial.

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