R-Day parade: Rajnath Singh responds to letters written by WB, TN CMs on rejection of tableaux
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin had sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh’s intervention in the matter.
FollowNew Delhi: Amidst the Republic Day tableaux rejection controversies, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday responded to letters written to him by the chief ministers of West Bengal and Tamil Nadu and said that the selection of tableaux for the Republic Day parade has been taken as per the established and detailed guidelines.
West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and her Tamil Nadu counterpart MK Stalin had sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Rajnath Singh’s intervention in the matter. Besides, several opposition leaders and even former Tripura governor Tathagat Roy had also urged the government to look into the matter.
West Bengal was to showcase Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Indian National Army’s contribution during freedom movement. But the fact is as per the sources, the CPWD had already sent its tableaux proposal on Netaji well before the West Bengal government.
In his letter to the West Bengal chief minister, Rajnath stated that that the Narendra Modi government holds Netaji in high regard and observes his birth anniversary, January 23, as 'Parakram Diwas'.
The minister also said that from now on, Republic Day celebrations will begin with his birth anniversary and conclude on January 30.
He further added that the process for selection of tableaux is transparent and follows established guidelines.
A committee comprising personalities from the spectrum of art, culture, music and dance examines design proposals sent in by the states and decides on which ones to be selected, Rajnath said in the letter.
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The Tamil Nadu had sent the proposal, featuring prominent freedom fighters such as V O Chidambaranar.
Rajnath Singh also clarified that only 12 proposals from states have been selected out of 29 his ministry received.
In the letter to these two chief ministers, the minister also listed out as when the tableaux of their states were incorporated during the Modi government tenure. The proposal from West Bengal was included in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021 while from Tamil Nadu in 2017, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
He also invited to join the Republic Day celebrations.
Earlier in the day, when asked about on any plan to reconsider inclusion of these two states propels, a top defence ministry official said, “There is no reconsideration on the rejected proposals as it was done an expert committee. The defence ministry’s work is to look after overall coordination thing.”
A total of 56 proposals were received from states, union territories, union ministries and departments among others. Only 21 proposals have been selected. “It is natural for more proposals to be rejected than those accepted given the paucity of time,” the sources said.
