Bhagwant Mann slams Centre over Punjab tableau exclusion in Republic Day parade

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 25

Slamming the BJP government at Centre for not including the tableau of state in the Republic Day parade, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said this anti-Punjab stance of the Union government is unwarranted and undesirable.

In a statement issued here today, the CM said Punjab had been regularly featuring in the tableau parade, showcasing the critical importance of this border state with its rich history, colourful and vibrant culture and pivotal point for defining events which shaped the history of the great nation. “It is a matter of great disappointment that this year, despite the presentation of ideas to the selection committee on important themes like ‘Watan Ke Rakhwale’ – emphasising the significant role of Punjab in India’s military might and food security, woman empowerment through depiction of valour of Mai Bhago, the tableau of our state has not been selected for the Republic Day Parade,” he said.

He said Punjabis had made enormous sacrifices to free our motherland from the yoke of British imperialism. Mann said that despite being merely two per cent of the country’s population, 80% of the martyrs either executed or exiled during the freedom movement were Punjabis.

He said it was ironical that only BJP ruled states have been allowed to participate in the Republic Day parade from North India and non-BJP ruled states, especially Punjab and Delhi, have been deliberately kept out of the parade by the BJP.

“I want to ask BJP leaders from Punjab, including Capt Amrinder Singh and others, will they raise the issue why Punjab has been ignored in Republic Day parade. Probably, they do not have that much guts,” said Mann.

Reacting to Mann’s statement, BJP leader Subhash Sharma claimed that the tableau was disqualified because of the state government’s “fault”.

“They (the AAP government) took the old tableau after some modification (before a committee), then how it could have qualified?” he asked.

“If your tableau is disqualified, then whose fault was it? It is your fault. If Punjab’s tableau is not taking part tomorrow in Republic Day celebrations, then it is the fault of the CM,” alleged Sharma.

Reacting to the accusations, AAP chief spokesperson Malvinder Singh Kang said if the Punjab government had sent an old tableau, then how it could reach the second round. “Why did it not get disqualified in the first round itself?” he asked.

He said freedom fighters Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev and others were highlighted in the tableau last time.

“But in the tableau this time, the Mann government had shown how Punjabis were making sacrifices at the border, Mai Bhago, symbol of Saragarhi battle and symbol of sacrifices of 10 lakh Punjabis during freedom struggle which was rejected by the BJP government,” said Kang.

SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal had also targeted the Centre over the matter.

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