The Union government’s decision to reject Maharashtra’s tableau for the Republic Day parade, along with that of some other States including West Bengal, has set off a political controversy.
The alliance partners in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government on Thursday said the Centre’s rejection was prejudiced. The theme for the State’s tableau was to be the 175 years of Marathi theatre.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule tweeted, “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. But the government is behaving in a prejudiced manner, giving step-motherly treatment to the states being ruled by the opposition parties.”
She condemned the Centre’s decision saying both Maharashtra and West Bengal have played a major role in India’s freedom struggle and the said action is an insult to people of these States.
Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut too slammed the Centre and asked whether there was any political conspiracy behind it. “Maharashtra’s tableau has always remained the centre of attraction and has even won first prize on various occasions. Would BJP have remained silent had it happened in the Congress regime?” asked Mr. Raut.
Replying to the criticism, the official Twitter handle of State unit of BJP said those criticising the Centre are purposely hiding the facts. “The selection tableaux is on rotation basis. Every year 32 states file applications from which 16 states are chosen. With addition of eight tableaux from departments of central government, a total of 24 tableaux are permitted every year,” it said.
It claimed that Maharashtra’s tableau has been rejected earlier in 1972, 1987, 1989, 1996, 2000, 2005, 2008, 2013 and 2016. “Except for two years, rest were Congress ruled years. Why is it being said that Modiji rejected Maharashtra and West Bengal,” it tweeted.
