Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate the Rs 800-crore Martyrs' Memorial in Ambala on November 5. The site honours heroes of the 1857 uprising against British rule. It features 23 galleries and a 63-metre-high lotus structure. Haryana Energy Minister Anil Vij said, "The complex features 23 galleries documenting the events."
CHANDIGARH: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will inaugurate an approximately Rs 800-crore memorial dedicated to the heroes of India's 1857 uprising in Ambala Cantonment on November 5.
Haryana BJP president Dr Archana Gupta said Shah would visit Ambala, 'the land of Goddess Amba', to inaugurate the Shaheedi Smarak (Martyrs' Memorial).
"Today, we held a preparatory meeting with our local MLA and Cabinet Minister (Haryana Energy and Transport Minister) Anil Vij, the District President, Mayor, the Zila Parishad Chairperson and other key party office-bearers to plan a grand reception and review the various arrangements," she said.
Named "Azadi ki Pehli Ladai ka Shaheed Smarak", the memorial highlights Ambala's contribution to the 1857 uprising and honours the soldiers, farmers, women and civilians who participated in the struggle against British rule.
The names of more than 700 freedom fighters, identified through historical research, have been inscribed in gold. More names may be added as further records become available.
The complex features a 63-metre-high lotus-shaped structure equipped with two high-speed lifts, a sky café, a 2,500-seat open-air theatre and a 300-seat auditorium. It also has a 360-degree projection system, laser and sound shows, and interactive displays recreating significant episodes of the uprising.
Vij said the memorial would be opened to visitors following the ceremony. "The complex features 23 galleries documenting the events of 1857 in Ambala, Meerut, Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, Jhansi and other parts of the country,'' he said.
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Vij said a five-member committee of historians had examined archival records and other historical material used to develop the exhibits. A comprehensive visit could take approximately six hours. Arrangements have been made for groups of 40 visitors, along with digital facilities for information and ticket bookings.
The initial proposal for the memorial was prepared in 2010 during the tenure of former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. At the time, 22 acres of land were acquired and Rs 17 crore was sanctioned. After the BJP formed the government in Haryana in 2014, Vij pursued the project.
Shah will also participate in the BJP's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' padyatra in Karnal earlier that day.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union Power Minister and local MP Manohar Lal Khattar, and several senior state functionaries are also scheduled to participate in the padyatra.
Gupta reviewed preparations for the Karnal event on Sunday, holding organisational meetings with the district core group and party office-bearers at the BJP district headquarters, Karna Kamal.
The meetings were attended by Karnal district president Praveen Lather, district in-charge Jawahar Yadav, and local MLAs Jagmohan Anand, Ram Kumar Kashyap and Yogender Rana. Discussions focused on finalising the padyatra route, mobilising party workers, and managing security and the venue. Party workers have launched a campaign to ensure maximum turnout.