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So far, successive governments have allowed memorials to prove a political point or as a favour to its own partymen or allies as a quid pro quo. ET takes a look at the history of memorial politics through decades and the policy changes.
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In 2012, BSP supremo Mayawati was allowed to amalgamate three bungalows 12, 14 and 16 Gurudwara Rakabganj Road and turn it into a memorial for Kanshi Ram. Coincidentally, on December 4, 2012, Mayawati as chairperson of Bahujan Prerna Trust sent a letter to directorate of estates under urban development ministry seeking some technical clarification. The directorate of estates sent a fresh permission letter to Mayawati the same day. The very next day was the crucial vote on FDI in retail. Trinamool Congress had walked out of UPA protesting the move to allow FDI in retail. BSP's abstention in Lok Sabha gave the Bill and the alliance a fresh lease of life. BSP had voted with the government in Rajya Sabha a few days later — a decision later justified by BSP's Satish Chandra Mishra as a move to keep «communal forces» at bay.
In December 2013, UPA government again made an exception and allowed Meira Kumar to convert 6 Krishna Menon Marg bungalow into a memorial for her father Babu Jagjivan Ram. There are eight trusts which are running memorials in the Lutyens Bungalow Zone. These
