New Delhi: The rejection of the tableaux proposals from Delhi and Punjab for the Republic Day parade has sparked a political spat between the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government.
Delhi's Art, Culture, and Languages Minister, Saurabh Bharadwaj, accused the Centre of using the rejection as a means to seek retribution against the AAP, which governs both the national capital and Punjab.
Addressing the press, Bharadwaj expressed discontent, stating that the Centre has consistently rejected Delhi's tableau proposals for three consecutive years, dating back to 2022. The last time Delhi's tableau featured in the Republic Day parade was in 2021, showcasing the Shahjahanabad redevelopment project.
The proposed tableau for 2024 aimed to highlight the city's schools and the mohalla clinic model. Despite incorporating suggestions from the Centre into their proposal, the Delhi government's tableau was rejected, according to Bharadwaj. He accused the Centre of not providing adequate reasons for the rejection and criticised the apparent political motives behind it.
Bharadwaj also highlighted the rejection of Punjab's tableau proposal and alleged that it was not coincidental but a deliberate act of revenge against the AAP. He questioned the Centre's actions and insinuated that the rejection was driven by animosity toward the AAP rather than any genuine shortcomings in the proposals.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann previously criticised the Centre for the non-inclusion of the state's tableau in the parade, alleging discrimination. The BJP's Punjab unit countered Mann's allegations, accusing the AAP government of pushing for the inclusion of photos of Mann and Arvind Kejriwal in the tableau.
Virendra Sachdeva, the BJP's Delhi chief, accused the AAP of politicising events of national pride and claimed that the rejection of the tableaux was due to the inclusion of pictures of AAP leaders, Kejriwal and Mann, which allegedly violated guidelines.
The back-and-forth between the AAP and BJP has intensified, with both parties leveling accusations against each other regarding the rejection of the tableaux proposals.