CHANDIGARH: In a fresh war of words between the AAP government in Punjab and BJP-led central government, the former slammed the latter for rejecting state’s tableau for the Republic Day parade second time in a row.
However, the Ministry of Defence on Sunday clarified that the tableau proposal of Punjab was considered in the first three rounds of meeting of the expert committee comprising eminent persons in the field of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, choreography, etc.
After the third round of meeting, the tableau of Punjab could not be taken forward by the committee for further consideration for not aligning to the broader themes of this year’s tableau.
Training guns, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said the "power mad" Centre “is demeaning and humiliating the enormous sacrifices made by Punjabis in the national freedom struggle”.
Officials aware about the development told IANS that the state government had submitted three ideas on tableau -- Punjab history of sacrifice and martyrdom, Mai Bhago -- the first lady warrior of Sikhism (women empowerment) and rich heritage of Punjab.
The AAP said by rejecting the tableau the Union government is making a mockery of the state and its immense contribution in nation building.
“This is not for the first time the BJP-led Union government had done the same mischief as it did last year by rejecting the tableau. The Centre has rubbed salt into wounds of the state, ” was the first public reaction of the Chief Minister.
He said on December 27 that it was unfortunate that on one hand devotees from across the globe are paying obeisance at Sri Fatehgarh Sahib to pay homage to chotta Sahibzadas -- Baba Zorawar Singh and Baba Fateh Singh -- along with Mata Gujriji whereas on the other hand the BJP government “is playing such dirty tactics to humiliate Punjab”.
He said martyrdom and sacrifices was part of the glorious heritage of the state which was to be duly highlighted in the tableaus of the state.
However, Mann said by rejecting these nationalistic and progressive ideas of tableaus, the Union government has insulted the sacrifice made by great patriots and national leaders.
The Chief Minister was categorically clear in saying this step-motherly treatment with the state is totally unacceptable and unwarranted.
He said the unfortunate thing is that this decision has been taken during the days when the entire globe is bowing before the supreme and unprecedented sacrifice made by the Chhota Sahibzadas and Mata Gujriji for humanity.
Mann said the “tyrant Modi government has forgotten that Punjabis had made unprecedented sacrifices both for attaining and preserving freedom, besides safeguarding the borders of the country”.
Paying back, the AAP government in the same coin, BJP state chief Sunil Jakhar said the state wanted to display photographs of Chief Minister Mann and his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal.
He said the state did not concede to requests by the organising committee of the Republic Day parade. Not agreeing to remove the pictures was the main reason for rejection of the state tableau, he said.
Replying to Jakhar, state’s prominent Hindu face, AAP spokesperson Malwinder Singh Kang said, “The concept of Punjab’s tableau is present on official website of the Government of India. Can you show us the picture of Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal?”
Challenging the state’s BJP president’s assertion, Chief Minister Mann declared his readiness to quit politics if proof surfaced that the state government proposed featuring his and AAP supremo Kejriwal’s photos on the tableau.
He announced plans to showcase the rejected tableau in Delhi on January 20, displaying it outside Punjab Bhawan and organising a procession to exhibit Punjab’s rich history and culture.
“Jakhar is new to the BJP, he lacks the expertise to fabricate properly. Can I place my photo next to Bhagat Singh? Do I have such stature? Prove it, and I’ll exit politics. That’s the biggest statement I can make, ” Mann said, adding, “If Jakhar is proven a liar, he must also exit Punjab politics.”
Also the state will include the rejected tableau in all functions to be held across Punjab on January 26 and perpetuate the state's rich legacy amongst the masses.
Training his guns against "sycophants" of the BJP, the Chief Minister said these people eulogize the tableaus of Modi, that are being run across the country these days, but they are against the idea of a tableau of great martyrs.
Mann said the Union government has also maliciously stalled the Mukh Mantri Teerth Yatra Scheme by not giving trains to the state despite advance payment.
The Chief Minister said the trains to Varanasi, Patna Sahib, Nanded Sahib, Ajmer Sharif and others have been deliberately stopped by the Union government.
The sole motive is to deprive people of not paying obeisance at revered places, he said, adding these designs of the Union government will not be successful. He quipped though the Prime Minister is daily boasting about double-engine government but Railways is citing that they have no engine to run trains for this pro-people scheme.
Senior AAP leader and Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the BJP’s rejection of Punjab’s tableau means they don’t value the sacrifices of the freedom fighters.
Echoing similar sentiments, Cabinet minister Anmol Gagan Maan wrote on X, “Disheartened to witness the exclusion of Punjab’s tableau from the Republic Day parade. Are we erasing the rich tapestry of our diverse history? This decision deserves scrutiny. Is it now a parade of select narratives, leaving the sacrifices of our heroes in the shadows?”
Slamming the BJP government, another Cabinet Minister Harjot Singh Bains said, “Out of 121 freedom fighters who courted gallows, 93 were Sikhs and Punjabis. Similarly, out of 2, 646 freedom fighters sentenced to life imprisonment, no less than 2, 147 were Punjabis. But Punjab is again excluded from the January 26 Republic Day parade consecutively for the second year.”
Criticising the Centre’s move, AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora requested the authorities to reconsider the decision of not allowing Punjab’s tableaux in the parade.
Later, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj joined the issue by saying even Delhi's tableau hadn’t been included in the Republic Day parade for the third year in a trot.
After days of AAP’s allegations, the Ministry of Defence said 30 states and Union Territories (UTs) had shown willingness to participate in the Republic Day parade, including Punjab and West Bengal. Out of these 30 states and UTs, like every year, only 15 to 16 states and UTs will be finally selected to present their tableaux in the parade.
During the past few years, the tableau of Punjab has been shortlisted for the Republic Day parade by the expert committee from 2017 to 2022 -- six times in the past eight years.
“As states have to be treated equally, it is essential that states should be given the opportunity to display their tableaus as per a formula. The Government of India is preparing a three-year program covering all states and UTs which will be shared with them. Hence, the criticism by these states (Punjab and West Bengal) is baseless, ” an official with the Defence Ministry said.
Moreover, the states and UTs not being selected for the Republic Day Parade are being invited to showcase their tableaux in Bharat Parv at Red Fort, New Delhi, during January 23-31, he added.