TN CM ‘deeply disappointed’ over exclusion of state’s tableau from R-Day parade, seeks PM Modi’s intervention
Excluding the tableau would deeply hurt the sentiments and patriotic feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu, he said.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing his ‘deep disappointment’ and seeking his ‘urgent intervention’ over the exclusion of the state’s tableau from the Republic Day parade in Delhi this year.
In his letter, Stalin said he was deeply disappointed over the issue. “This is a matter of grave concern to the state of Tamil Nadu and its people and I request your urgent intervention to arrange to include the tableau of Tamil Nadu that will showcase the freedom fighters of Tamil Nadu in the Republic Day Parade 2022 in New Delhi,” he wrote.
Excluding the tableau would deeply hurt the sentiments and patriotic feelings of the people of Tamil Nadu, he said.
“The design had VO Chidambaranar (VOC), the famous freedom fighter who founded the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company in 1906 during Indian Independence movement to compete against the British. The design also had Subramania Bharathi, popularly known as Maha Kavi Bharathiar, who kindled patriotism in the minds of the people with his fiery patriotic songs and writings during the Indian Independence movement, the CM wrote.
The rear of the tableau was designed to showcase a statue of Rani Velu Nachiyar riding a horse with a sword in hand and with women soldiers. “She was the first Indian queen to wage a war with the East India Company in India. She was the queen of Sivagangai region from 1780 to 1790 and blew up an ammunition storage of East India Company by arranging a suicide attack. She is hailed as ‘Veeramangai’ a brave woman,” the Chief Minister explained in the letter.
It is reportedly the third time in the past five years that Tamil Nadu’s tableau has not made it to the Republic Day parade. CM Stalin’s letter to the PM comes a day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee also questioned the Union government after the West Bengal tableau was rejected for the 2022 parade.