Thaindian News

By Meena Kar
Chicago, May 31, (THAINDIAN NEWS) According to reports, the President of United States Barack Obama is scheduled to mark the occasion of the Memorial Day on Monday by laying a wreath and delivering a remark at the Abraham Lincoln Cemetery in Elwood, Illinois. Though Presidents traditionally visit the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington for the wreath-laying ceremony, and the present President himself had visited the place last year to mark the Memorial Day, this year Vice President Joe Biden is schedule to lay the wreath at the Arlington National Cemetery.

The First family is at present in Chicago, Illinois and President Barack Obama is for the first time in a year enjoying a night with his family members at their family home reportedly. It is due to this reason that the President would not be able to make it to Arlington National Cemetery and would instead mark the holiday at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery that lies south of Chicago. He had spoken at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery back in the year 2005.

However, many veteran groups have already started to criticize President Barack Obama for holding the wreath laying ceremony of the Memorial Day at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery. Arlington National memorial is considered as one of the nation’s most important burial grounds where many soldiers who died during the Iraq and Afghanistan war lay buried. Paul Rieckhoff who is the founder of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America said to media sources that on Monday the eyes of the entire nations will be focused at the Arlington National Cemetery, but unfortunately the President and his family would not be there to stand with the war veterans.