Centre keeps Kerala, WB, Bihar, Maharashtra floats out of R-Day event

Kerala, Bihar, West Bengal and Maharashtra’s proposed tableau for the Republic Day parade in Delhi has failed to find favour from the Centre. Rejection of the proposal means these states will not be represented on 26 January parade at Rajpath in the national capital.

Kerala proposed a theme comprising the traditional art form of Theyyam and Kalamandalam, depicting art and architecture of the state.

Bihar government proposed a tableau based on the theme of “Jal-Jivan-Haryali mission.”

The Bengal government had laid down its plan to decorate the tableau with themes of initiatives like Kanyasree, Sabujsree and Jal Dharo, Jal Bharo.

The theme for Maharashtra’s tableau was to be 175 years of Marathi theatre.

Following the rejection of the tableau proposal opposition, RJD took potshot at the NDA government at the Centre for “humiliating” the people of Bihar by dismissing its tableau. “They (NDA government at the Centre) earlier shot down Bihar’s demand for special status and has now rejected a proposal to showcase its scheme through a tableau on the Republic Day. This is the truth of the double-engine government trumpeted by the BJP,” RJD spokesman Mritunjan Tiwari said.

The Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena and the NCP slammed the Centre on Thursday after it rejected West Bengal and Maharashtras tableau proposals for the Republic Day Parade, alleging that the BJP-led Union government has insulted the people of the two states.

The TMC said by rejecting Bengals proposal, the Centre insulted the people of the state for opposing the amended citizenship law. NCP and Shiv Sena claimed prejudice against Maharashtra. West Bengal Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Tapas Roy accused the Centre of being “vindictive” towards the state.

NCP leader Supriya Sule accused the Centre of being “prejudiced”. She said Bengal and Maharashtra had played a key role in the freedom struggle and the decision to deny permission to their tableaux was an “insult” to the people.

Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut wondered whether there was a political conspiracy behind the decision. “The Centre has rejected permissions to the tableaux of Maharashtra and West Bengal from parading on Republic Day. It is a festival of the country and the Centre is expected to give representation to all the states,” Sule tweeted.

केंद्र सरकारने चित्ररथाला परवानगी नाकारल्यामुळे प्रजासत्ताक दिनानिमित्तच्या संचलनात महाराष्ट्राला गुणवत्तेच्या आधारे स्थान मिळणार नाही ही अत्यंत दुदैवी गोष्ट आहे. संचालनात सहभागी होणे हा कुठला राजकीय विषय नसून महाराष्ट्राच्या सार्थ अभिमानाची बाब आहे – खा. @supriya_sule pic.twitter.com/MzMSzxVRCr

— NCP (@NCPspeaks) January 2, 2020

For Republic Day Parade 2020, a total of 56 tableaux proposals (32 from states/UTs and 24 from Ministries/Departments) were received. Out of these, 22 were shortlisted for participation in the Republic Day Parade 2020 after a series of five meetings.

Tableaux from Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, and Telangana are among the states that have been shortlisted for this year’s Republic Day Parade 2020.

Besides these states, Defence Ministry’s list of shortlisted participants also includes states of Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Meghalaya, Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh.

The list also includes names of Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade; Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation; Department of Financial Services; NDRF, Ministry of Home Affairs; CPWD, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs; and Ministry of Shipping.

Earlier an official statement said that proposals of 16 states/UTs and six Ministries/Departments were shortlisted for participation in Republic Day Parade 2020.

There is a well-established system for selection of tableaux for participation in the Republic Day Parade as per which Ministry of Defence invites proposals for tableau from all States/UTs and Central Ministries/Departments, read the statement.

The tableaux proposals received from various States/UTs and Central Ministries/Departments are evaluated in a series of meetings of the Expert Committee comprising of eminent persons in the field of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, choreography etc.

The Expert Committee examines the proposals on the basis of theme, concept, design and its visual impact before making its recommendations.

(With input from agencies.)