Why Is Rao Narbir Singh Blocking the Construction of "Rao Tula Ram Shaheed Memorial"?

The BJP government in Haryana, which often claims to honor freedom fighters and martyrs, found itself in a difficult position when a question about the promised Rao Tula Ram memorial in Mahendragarh district's Nasibpur village was raised in the state assembly. 

During the question hour in the assembly session on Monday, MLA Om Prakash Yadav from Narnaul asked Sainik and Ardh-Sainik Welfare Minister Rao Narbir Singh about the status of a national-level memorial for freedom fighter Rao Tula Ram that had been announced in 2016 by then Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. The minister's evasive response has triggered controversy. 

Two Memorials Announced, Only One Built 

Interestingly, both the questioner, MLA Om Prakash Yadav, and the responding minister, Rao Narbir Singh, belong to the Ahirwal region. In 2016, CM Khattar had announced that national-level war memorials would be built at two locations: Ambala Cantonment and Nasibpur. 

While the Ambala Cantonment memorial has been nearly completed at a cost of approximately Rs 550 crore and is touted to be Asia's largest war memorial, the proposed "Rao Tula Ram Shaheed Memorial" in Nasibpur remains stuck in bureaucratic limbo, with its file bouncing between various government departments.

Minister's Evasive Response

In his response, Minister Rao Narbir Singh stated that village memorials are typically the responsibility of panchayats, and since Nasibpur has now been incorporated into Narnaul Municipal Committee's jurisdiction, MLA Yadav could ask the municipality to beautify the existing small memorial that has been there since 1989. 

This response drew criticism from MLA Yadav, who pointed out that budget allocations had already been made for the Nasibpur memorial and the Public Works Department (PWD) had even issued tenders in 2024 for hiring consultancy services. "The minister's statement that 'the memorial will not be built' is an insult to martyrs," Yadav said emotionally.

Political Rivalry at Play?

Observers in the media gallery and several assembly members noted that while Ambala Cantonment is also separate from Ambala city (the district headquarters), it still received a massive memorial. This has fueled speculation about the real reason behind the reluctance to build the Nasibpur memorial.

The afternoon discussions in the Ahirwal region focused on the fact that Union Minister Rao Indrajit Singh and Health Minister Kumari Aarti Singh Rao are descendants of freedom fighter Rao Tula Ram. It's widely believed that political rivalry between Rao Indrajit Singh and Rao Narbir Singh is the real reason behind the latter's apparent reluctance to approve the Rao Tula Ram memorial. 

Historical Significance of Nasibpur

According to historians, during the 1857 revolution, Rao Tula Ram drove the British out of the Ahirwal region. He fought against the British in the fields of Nasibpur-Narnaul, where more than 5,000 revolutionary soldiers were killed. Tula Ram's forces put up strong resistance against the British, killing British army commander Gerard and Captain Wallace. 

Local lore suggests that even today, during the rainy season, the soil in Nasibpur turns red, seemingly bearing witness to the sacrifice of Rao Tula Ram and his revolutionary soldiers. 

Support Across Communities 

Leaders from various communities in southern Haryana and the Ahirwal region, not just Yadavs, support the construction of the "Rao Tula Ram Shaheed Memorial." They believe that martyrs are the nation's heritage, and their memorials inspire youth. Additionally, a national-level memorial would boost tourism in the backward region of Narnaul and accelerate development. 

The question remains whether the memorial honoring the memory of freedom fighters will be built in Nasibpur village or continue to gather dust in government files due to political rivalries.