Govt drags its feet over war memorial http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080047726&ch =4/23/2008%208:56:00%20PM# Wednesday, April 23, 2008 (New Delhi) Most civilians think India Gate is a memorial for India's military personnel killed in action, but it is only for those who fought for the British Empire before Independence. India's soldiers who died trying to save us, their memory is discarded in the dingy corridors of South Block. For seven years the armed forces have been desperately trying to build a war memorial to honour the brave Indian soldiers. The latest proposal was prepared in 2001, it went back and forth for five years because the Army and urban development ministry could not agree on the height of the walls and the design of the memorial proposed at India Gate in 2006 even President Kalam personally pushed for it without much luck. ''War memorial is a temple for a soldier, surely independent India should have an imposing war memorial. Yet the babus are quibbling over whether the walls should four feet high or two feet high,'' said Lt Gen (Retd) Vijay Oberoi, former Vice Chief of Army Staff. Army Chief Gen Deepak Kapoor even went and met Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy last fortnight despite that meeting, there has been no progress, although the two sides have met again in March presumably to take a final call as has been the case in the last six years. Consider this: War over memorial January 2001: Latest proposal prepared, it goes back and forth till 2006 >From 2001 to 2006 no movement October 2006: Central Vistas Committee wants height of the walls reduced Five years later urban development ministry wants height of wall reduced November 2006: Fresh proposal with reduced wall height sent again to ministry A month later another proposal sent March 2008: Another meeting between Army and urban development ministry officials Two sides meet again, no progress April 2008: Army chief pushes the case with urban development minister Army Chief meets urban development minister for the memorial ''The earlier it is done the better it would be for the country, a proposal is with the government,'' said Gen Deepak Kapoor, Chief of Army Staff. While the government continues to drags its feet, difficult working conditions and a meagre pay perhaps hurts less than the fact that not a inch of land has been set aside to remember those heroes who died to protect it. =============== ----- Harshawardhan_Bosham Nimkhedkar Nagpur, India