TMC cries foul, says its R-Day tableau rejected

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 26

The Republic Day celebration saw its share of politics when the Trinamool Congress alleged that Mamata Banerjee-ruled West Bengal’s Republic Day tableau with a “path-breaking” theme was rejected by the Centre.

Though TMC leader Derek O’ Brien did not exactly specify who was responsible for the decision, the statement he issued soon after the celebrations was self-explanatory.

“Bengal tableaux for Republic Day depicting path-breaking Kanya Shree initiative was not allowed. We repeatedly requested... Life goes on,” O’Brien said, hinting that the decision was a deliberate attempt by the BJP-ruled Centre to undermine the TMC government in West Bengal.

With the BJP trying to gain ground in the state, the relationship between the saffron party and the TMC is going over a rocky patch.

Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent pitch regarding unparalleled accomplishments of girls has brought the focus back on the issue.

The Republic Day Parade today had a major large presence of women military officers.

Tableaux offer glimpse of diversity

Colourful tableaux from 16 states and some government departments at the 66th Republic Day parade showcased the cultural diversity and unique programmes being implemented across the country.

From Channapatna toys of Karnataka to folk dances of Jammu and Kashmir, 16 states displayed their cultural heritage and biodiversity at the parade.

Karnataka’s was the first float to roll out on the majestic Rajpath, displaying the colourful Channapatna wooden toys, followed by Andhra Pradesh which showcased the Makara Sankranti festivities.

Incredible Majauli was the theme of the Assam float. The island is enriched by the vibrant and multicoloured culture of its ethnic inhabitants belonging to Mising, Deori, and Sonowal Kachari communities.

Uttar Pradesh came up with a tableau on Wajid Ali Shah, the tenth and last Nawab of Awadh province that is the Uttar Pradesh of present time. UP displayed the theme of communal harmony.

Gujarat presented a tableau on the theme of ‘Statue of Unity’, the Sardar Sarovar Project. It relates to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to build a giant statue of the country’s first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in the state.

Idu dance, or dance of the priest, of the Idu Mishmi Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, is a unique ritual. The dance was the theme of the float from Arunachal Pradesh.

The Department of Industrial Production and Promotion had a tableau on ‘Make in India’. The CPWD presented the theme ‘Maa Ganga’, while Department of Financial Services focused on the ‘Jan Dhan Yojna’.

With the theme of ‘Walk for Justice’, the Ministry of Law and Justice showcased Lok Adalats—an informal forum where disputes or cases pending in the courts or at pre-litigation stage are settled or compromised amicably without further appeals. It is a quick and cost-free method of dispute resolution.

Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Assam, Jharkhand, Sikkim, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Gujarat were the states represented at the parade.

West Bengal had last year won the best tableaux award.

(With PTI inputs)