Get over Gandhis: NDA plans memorial for Congress scapegoat PV Narsimha Rao

By Newsgram Staff Writer

The NDA government plans to build a memorial to honour late Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao with a view to restore his glory, an English newspaper reported.

According to sources, the Union Urban Development ministry last week moved a proposal for cabinet approval to build a memorial ghat for the architect of the country's economic reforms at the Ekta Sthal Samadhi Complex.

The late PM was instrumental in taking out India from economic slowdown in 1991 through his industrial policy reforms with the manufacturing sector. He slashed industrial licensing, leaving only 18 industries subject to licensing which lead to rationalisation of industrial regulation.

"The move which was orchestrated by NDA ally Telugu Desam Party (TDP), is being seen as an attempt to embarrass the Congress leadership which completely disowned Rao. It had even forced his family to perform his last rites in Hyderabad,' quoted Indian Express.

In October 2014, the TDP had moved a resolution urging the Centre to build a memorial for Rao, who hailed from Telangana. Ekta Sthal houses the memorial of Congress leader Giani Zail Singh as well.

In May 2013, the then Congress-led UPA government blocked demands for separate memorials, with the cabinet deciding to set up a common memorial ground — Rashtriya Smriti — in view of paucity of space.