NEW DELHI: A 75-metre wall bearing the names of martyrs will be erected along Kartavya Path in the national capital to pay tribute to martyrs and freedom fighters as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM) celebrations marking 75 years of India’s independence. The government has also planned to create a garden at the ceremonial boulevard with soil from various locations across the country.
Govind Mohan, secretary of the culture ministry, on Thursday said that as part of the ‘Meri Maati; Mera Desh’ campaign of Amrit Mahotsav, around 8,000 urns containing soil from different parts of the country will reach the national capital after August 20. “Various modes of transport are being used by volunteers to fetch the urns. Some will travel by train. A group from the southern part of the country will be coming on bikes. A unique garden will be developed at Kartavya Path with soil from different regions. We plan to plant 7,500 saplings of indigenous species,” he said.
‘Meri Maati; Mera Desh’, a joint initiative of the ministries of culture and information and broadcasting, will mark the culmination of AKAM. The Mahotsav began in March when Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off a symbolic 386-km ‘Dandi March’ from Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad to Dandi on the 91st anniversary of the historic salt march led by Mahatma Gandhi. The Mahotsav will end on August 15.
Under the campaign, starting August 9, 2.5 lakh panchayats, 6,000 blocks, 4,000 local bodies, state governments and Union territory administrations have been urged to erect memorial plaques dedicated to freedom fighters and martyrs at water bodies or other locations. According to the ministries, six lakh villages are also being encouraged to place plaques -- thus more than eight lakh stone tablets are expected to come up across the country.
Besides the names of freedom fighters, defence personnel, personnel of Central Armed Police Forces and state police who laid down their lives in the line of duty, the plaque will also have a quote by PM Modi. The authorities have already been apprised about the template of the commemorative inscription.
With a mega celebration in the national capital, the campaign will end on August 30.