Ambala, Nov. 5 -- Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday dedicated the 'Azadi ki Pehli Ladai (1857) ka Shaheed Smarak' to the nation in Ambala Cantonment, paying tribute to the revolutionaries who fought against British rule during the First War of Independence.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and state Transport Minister Anil Vij were present at the inauguration.
Shah and Saini planted saplings under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign before lighting the ceremonial lamp. The Home Minister also watched a virtual reality presentation of the museum, explored an exhibition of telegrams documenting the 1857 uprising in Ambala and witnessed a puppet show depicting the revolt in Haryana.
The memorial, spread across 22 acres, houses a three-storey museum with 22 galleries showcasing the history of the uprising through historical documents, traditional artwork, augmented reality, virtual reality and immersive projections. It highlights Ambala's role in the revolt, including its uprising on May 10, 1857, nine hours before the outbreak in Meerut.
The complex also features a 63-metre-high memorial tower, a 2,500-seat open-air theatre, a 300-seat auditorium, a library and parking facilities for around 600 cars.
Addressing the gathering, Shah highlighted Haryana's achievements, saying it had become the first state to implement the new criminal laws and witnessed a 40 per cent increase in its conviction rate.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.