Why Republic Day Parade Will Have 16 States' Tableaux, But Not Punjab

Over two dozen tableaux will trundle down Kartavya Path as part of the 75th Republic Day parade in Delhi Friday morning, including 16 from states and union territories. Punjab, though, will not be present, after a row between the ruling AAP and the centre over allegations the state wanted photos of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and party boss Arvind Kejriwal on the float.

The tableau - which the BJP's Punjab unit also ridiculed as "crude", drawing a furious response from the AAP - depicted contributions of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, and Lala Lajpat Rai.

The AAP, in turn, accused the centre of discriminating against an opposition-ruled state. Mr Mann, responding to claims he wanted his photo included, demanded the BJP provide proof of its charge.

The controversy broke last month after the BJP's Punjab boss, Sunil Jakhar, said the tableau's "crude" make was one of the reasons it was rejected. The other, he claimed, was that "... AAP was adamant Kejriwal and  Mann's photos should be on it..."

READ | "Wanted Photos": BJP vs AAP On Punjab Tableau's Exclusion In Republic Day Parade

This was after Mr Mann claimed ignoring Punjab's float was a step towards removing the state from the national anthem. "If they have their way, they will take out 'Punjab' from the national anthem..." he said, adding Delhi too would not have a tableau.

The national capital is also ruled by the AAP, with Mr Kejriwal the Chief Minister.

READ | Bhagwant Mann Reacts To "Wanted His Picture On Punjab Tableau" Charge

Mr Jakhar said that it was "unfortunate" Mr Mann had chosen to "politicise" the issue. He pointed out not every state fielded a tableau every year, and some were dropped for "technical reasons"

In the past 17 years, Punjab did not have a tableau nine times, he added.

The back-and-forth between Mr Jakhar, an ex-Congress leader, and Mr Mann continued over the next few weeks, with the latter taking a jab at his rival, who he said had to "read out a script given to him."

READ | Why Punjab Turned Down Centre's Offer To Display Tableau At Red Fort Event

Mr Mann has also rejected an offer to field Punjab's tableau at Bharat Parv, an event in Delhi's Red Fort.

His office declared "... great martyrs, including Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev, Shaheed Udham Singh, Mai Bhago, Ghadri Baabe and others cannot be kept in the rejected category", and accused the centre of trying to "belittle their contribution and sacrifice of these heroes..."

Meanwhile, Defence Ministry sources have said there is a "well-established system" to select tableaux, explaining that proposals for floats were evaluated by a committee comprising "eminent persons in fields of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, choreography, etc." that examines each on the basis of theme, concept, design and visual impact.

Punjab's proposal was considered in the first three rounds of meeting and, after the third round it could not be taken forward as the committee felt it was not aligned with the broader themes of this year's Republic Day parade, sources said.

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