New Delhi, Jan 17: The Centre on Monday rejected the allegations levelled by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that the state’s tableau has been excluded from the Republic Day parade on January 26.
“We shouldn’t use the term rejection. Not every Indian state gets its place every year. Entire process follows a set of guidelines and a committee comprising experts from different areas decide it finally. So it’s not a rejection, and we shouldn’t see it this way,” said a Defence Ministry official.
Some states don’t fulfill the criteria, some states send their proposals very late. It’s also due to the time constraints that the Ministry is able to include only a limited number of proposals, added the official.
Mamata Banerjee had written to the Prime Minister expressing ‘shock and hurt’ that the proposed tableau of the state has been excluded from the Republic Day parade.
“I have been profoundly shocked and hurt by the decision of the government of India to abruptly exclude the proposed tableau of the government of West Bengal from the ensuing Republic Day parade. It is even more baffling for us that the tableau has been rejected without assigning any reasons or jurisdiction,” Mamata had written to the PM on Sunday.
Mamata had said that “all the people of West Bengal are deeply pained by this attitude of the central government. Bengal was at the forefront of the Indian Freedom Struggle.”
“I urge you to reconsider the decision and include the tableau of freedom fighters from West Bengal in the Republic Day parade on the 75th year of our Independence. The tableau which showcases the sacrifices and contribution of the lakhs of freedom fighters will be the most befitting way to pay our respect and homage to all those great souls who fought for our freedom,” she added in the letter.
There will be 21 tableaux in the parade, which includes 12 from the states and UTs and 9 tableaux from the central government departments, sources said.
