Opposition now, be a mandatory part of Jallianwala Bagh Trust, come what may..!

New Delhi, February 13: Jallianwala Memorial Bagh National Memorial Act, 1951 seeks an amendment. The provisions amended the bill, the trust should be made which is ‘apolitical’ was passed in Lok Sabha today. Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Amendment Bill 2018, the bill seeks to ‘delete’ the president of a political party as a trustee was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 28, last year.

“Our main concern that the trustee of the memorial trust should not be the president of any political party,” said culture Minister Mahesh Sharma. He announced that 24 crores have been allocated for improvement of this memorial.  

The Minister said that the 100 years of Jallianwala Bagh Massacre will be observed on April 13 this year.

The Act provides for the erection of a National Memorial in memory of those killed or wounded on April 13, 1919, in Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar. In addition, it creates a Trust to manage the National Memorial.

Deletion of the party-specific member from the Trust will make it apolitical. The proposed amendment ensures representation of the Opposition Party in the Trust and will empower the government to terminate and replace a Trustee to participate in the functioning of the Trust or for any other reason.

In 1951, the trust had been constituted in which then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr Sarpoddin Kichlu and Maulana Azad were the lifetime members.  As these members passed away, in 2006, it was changed that the Prime Minister of the country will be the chairman of the trust.

Prime Minister, Punjab Chief Minister and Governor recommended the names for the trust. But in the result of 2014 elections, no opposition party could win at least 10 % seats. But in this case, it is considered that opposition with the least number of seats can be the trustee member.

In the composition of the trust, if any inconsistencies have been noticed then it is amended that government can terminate the nominated trustee before the expiry of his term.