Centre Dismisses Punjab CM’s Criticism Over Republic Day Parade Selection

Centre Dismisses Punjab CM's Criticism Over Republic Day Parade Selection

VoM News Desk | December 31, 2023 | 06:13 PM IST | Politics, Punjab | Follow on Google News

Centre Dismisses Punjab CM’s Criticism Over Republic Day Parade Selection/Independent

Centre Dismisses Punjab CM’s Criticism Over Republic Day Parade Selection

The Centre, in response to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s allegations of discrimination for not including the state’s tableau in the Republic Day parade 2024, labeled his criticism as “baseless.” The Ministry of Defence clarified that an expert committee assesses tableau proposals based on themes aligned with art, culture, and other fields.

According to the Defence Ministry’s statement, Punjab’s tableau proposal underwent three rounds of review but didn’t align with this year’s broader themes, resulting in its exclusion from further consideration. The Ministry also mentioned that states not selected for the parade were invited to display their tableaux in Bharat Parv at the Red Fort from January 23-31, as part of an MoU.

However, Bhagwant Mann rebuffed this offer, stating Punjab wouldn’t participate in Bharat Parv. He expressed dismay over the state’s tableau, intended to showcase the sacrifices of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, not making the cut.

The Defence Ministry clarified that only 15-16 States/UTs out of 30 will finally be selected for the Republic Day Parade 2024 due to time constraints. It emphasized that Punjab and Delhi had agreed to display their tableaux in one of the three years starting from January 26, 2024, as per the MoU.

Moreover, the Ministry highlighted that Punjab’s tableau had been shortlisted six times in the last eight years and is preparing a three-year programme for equitable representation. The statement also mentioned West Bengal, stating its similar exclusion from the parade due to non-alignment with this year’s theme despite multiple past selections.

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