DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana's Energy, Transport and Labour Minister Sh. Anil Vij said he will request time from Prime Minister Sh. Narendra Modi for inauguration of the Shaheed Smarak being built in Ambala Cantonment in the memory of the country's first freedom struggle in 1857 and he hopes that the Prime Minister will give him time for this. Instructions have been given to officials that the Shaheed Smarak should be completed and dedicated to the public by May 10, he said.

Vij was talking to journalists today after inspecting the Shaheed Smarak of the first war of independence, which is under construction on GT Road in Ambala. Sh. Anil Vij instructed the XEN that the lift of the memorial tower should be operational within 10 days.

He said the Shaheed Smarak will be the largest monument in Asia. Artists have created a wonderful exhibit in the memorial by showing their amazing art. Every moment of the freedom struggle will be shown in the Shaheed Smarak.

He said complete information about the unsung heroes of Independence will be given in this memorial. While a big lotus flower has been made on one side in the memorial, a magnificent lake has also been built on the other side. Two big lifts have been installed in the memorial tower. Apart from this, an auditorium has been built to arrange seating for 2000 people. A play is also being prepared to narrate the entire story of the martyrs of the freedom struggle.

Principal Associate of Art Work Ritika and other team tembers gave details of the battles fought in Haryana to Sh. Anil Vij.

Vij also visited the Zero Gallery, which depicts the establishment of trees where atrocities were committed by the British and freedom fighters were hanged from.

Vij said the entire memorial will be dedicated to the freedom struggle of 1857 in which the landscape of that time will be displayed beautifully.

Apart from the scene of Haryana at the time of 1857, the memorial will also depict the lives of Jhansi Ki Rani, Tatya Tope and the sacrifices made by the great revolutionaries to liberate the country.

He said people from all over the country will come here and see the memorial and the young generation will be able to get complete information about the history of the freedom struggle from here. The Cabinet Minister said a light and sound program will be run here every day in which excellent documentary films will be shown to the visitors.

(editor@dailyworld.in)