Parallel memorial for Jallianwala Bagh martyrs in neglect; exposes govt failure to preserve history

The parallel memorial built in honour of the martyrs of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre has shockingly fallen into a state of neglect, raising questions about the government’s commitment to preserving history and paying true homage to the sacrifices made for India’s freedom. Tiles carrying the names of the martyrs have been dismantled and dumped carelessly, gathering dust. Overgrown bushes, broken infrastructure and the general state of disrepair of the site have left it in ruins, barely four years after its inauguration.

However, on the very day that marks the anniversary of the massacre, Baisakhi, not a single government representative was seen paying tributes at the site. Activists and locals have termed this an insult to the martyrs.

A local activist Pawan Sharma, who visited the site, said, “Is this not a grave dishonour to the sacrifice of our martyrs? What kind of respect is this, where the memorial is built for political mileage, and then abandoned? This is not just a monument, it’s a symbol of our national pride and struggle for independence. The fact that no one from the government came to pay homage reflects how far we have drifted from our values. We demand immediate restoration of the memorial, a full inquiry into the materials used, and accountability of those responsible for the negligence.”

Citizens have also raised concerns over the use of substandard materials in the construction of the memorial.

Established in Amrit Anand Park, Ranjit Avenue, the memorial was unveiled on August 15, 2021, by then Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Constructed at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore and spread over 1.5 acres, the structure features granite walls engraved with the names of 488 officially recorded martyrs of the April 13, 1919, massacre, one of the darkest chapters in India’s colonial history.

The memorial, once intended to educate future generations and keep the memory of the martyrs alive, now stands as a grim reminder of how even the most sacred tributes can be forgotten in the maze of politics and poor governance.

Amritsar