'It is our duty to thank and honour the soldiers'

Chief minister BS Yeddyurappa’s decision to halt work on the National Military War Memorial at the Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain park has not gone down well with the National Military Memorial Park Committee. Subhashini Vasanth, member of the committee, tells Vaishalli Chandra that such a decision affects the morale of those protecting the country, and their family members.

How do you feel about the chief minister’s announcement?
I feel disappointed. The park was a nice place for the memorial.

The chief minister had himself laid the foundation stone for the memorial, this committee was formed by his office. But now he himself halts the memorial. I am lost. But, I still hope that the memorial would come up and at the same location.

When I was with Vasanth (her husband), I always questioned him about his dedication to his job. For him, duty was his first priority, the family came second. But when he was martyred, it all made sense. I understood that when a soldier joins the forces, he has to be completely dedicated to his job; for him everything else pales out. Don’t you want to say thank you to such people? Are you capable of only paying lip service to express your gratitude to them?

What could happen with such a decision?
Look at the effect it will have on the next generation. There is already a shortage of officers in the forces. I won’t be surprised if parents refuse to allow their children to join the forces. What is there in it for them when their sacrifices are not even honoured? The country doesn’t deserve them. The government should have the courage to stick with such a project.

No one is against the memorial. It is just the location many are opposed to.

There may have been rightful objections. But why didn’t they speak out all this while? Why wait for it (the work on the memorial) to come this far to raise the objections?
The location was chosen because the dignitaries could pay their respect to the martyrs during days like Independence Day and Republic Day without having to travel long distance. The memorial has to be centrally located. It cannot be in a back-of-beyond location.

The decision affects those who are in the services. The forces are called in to tackle everything — from floods to Naxals. But when it comes to showing them respect, we raise such a hue and cry.

Having seen the life of a serviceman from close quarters, it is not easy to brush away such a thing (the decision on the memorial). It is our duty to thank those who put themselves in such a hazardous line of work.

The memorial was meant to thank the living soldiers; it is our duty to thank them and show them that their services are being honoured.