It’s time we stopped this regressive practice

If people want to remember departed leaders, leave it to them to do so

The veneration of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa continues with the laying of the foundation stone for a memorial for her on Marina Beach, Chennai. The structure will cost more than ₹50 crore on what is public property. There are many reasons why the State should have exercised greater restraint. While the party is splitting hairs on various provisions of the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2011, there is no dispute that the construction of permanent structures is prohibited in the area. The Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919, does not allow the disposal of corpses on the beach.

While the focus is on the Jaya memorial, political parties have an affinity for memorials on public land for departed leaders. The families of many leaders have sought to appropriate bungalows as memorials for them. Large swathes of public property have been taken over in many places to build statues and memorials for leaders, all at the taxpayers’ expense. Much of this memorial building is done in the name of the people, but in actual fact it is the party wanting to use the memory of the late leader for its own political ends. The building of giant statues is often considered the preserve of undemocratic regimes, where the image of the leader is imposed on the people. In a democracy like India, this trend is out of sync. It cannot be forgotten that it was the Congress which began this trend and others have followed suit.

It is time for a debate on the need to discontinue this practice. If people want to remember a leader, it should be left to them how to do so. It could be through welfare schemes that have a lasting impact. Historic events can be commemorated, as for instance in war memorials, even historic leaders like the founding fathers of a nation. But this should not be a licence to build a memorial for every departed leader.