Two-thirds of the Russian people say it is time to bury the body of Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the Soviet Revolution, which has been on display in a mausoleum in Red Square for decades. 63% were in favor of burial, as opposed to 60% last year, according to a recent poll.
Members of the Liberal Democratic Party submitted a bill to the Duma, Russia’s lower house of parliament, to relocated the mausoleum away from the heart of Russia and bury the mummy. Ivan Sukharev, the coauthor of the bill, said the mausoleum could be turned into a museum for the caustic historical figure.
Russians are split on Lenin’s history with the younger generation seeing him as a man who destroyed imperial Russia and caused great damage to the people. Many in the older generations, who lived under the Soviet Union, still see him as someone to revere.
“The majority (63%) essentially concurred that it is necessary to do that. However, 32% of those polled said this should be done immediately, while 31% are in favor of waiting for some time until this issue ceases to be sensitive for those to who cherish Lenin,’ the pollster said, adding that 31% of the respondents suggested “leaving things as they are,” reported Russian state news agency TASS.
“Russian society is unprepared for drastic decisions on the topic of reburying Lenin’s body. There is no prevailing point of view, and it is not being shaped. The most acceptable option is to preserve the status quo, perhaps, with reservations and preconditions, but still that will be the status quo,” noted Mikhail Mamonov, director of the pollster’s research projects, reported TASS.
