Why tableaux from 16 states trundled in Republic Day Parade, but not Punjab

Punjab’s tableau depicted contributions of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, and Lala Lajpat Rai. (File photo/PTI)

Over two dozen tableaux trundled down Kartavya Path as part of the 75th Republic Day parade in Delhi on Friday morning, including 16 from states and union territories. Punjab, though, was not present.

Punjab’s tableau was absent after a row between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state and the Centre over allegations the state wanted photos of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and party supremo Arvind Kejriwal on the float.

The tableau – which the BJP’s Punjab unit also called “crude”, drawing a furious response from the AAP – depicted the contributions of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Udham Singh, and Lala Lajpat Rai.

The AAP, in turn, accused the centre of discriminating against an opposition-ruled state. Mann, responding to claims he wanted his photo included, demanded the BJP provide proof of its charge.

The controversy took place last month after the BJP’s Punjab chief, Sunil Jakhar, said the tableau’s “crude” make was one of the reasons it was rejected. The other, he claimed, was that “… AAP was adamant Kejriwal and Mann’s photos should be on it…”

This was after Bhagwant Mann claimed ignoring Punjab’s float was a step towards removing the state from the national anthem. “If they have their way, they will take out ‘Punjab’ from the national anthem…” he said, adding Delhi too would not have a tableau. The national capital is also ruled by the AAP, with Arvind Kejriwal as the Chief Minister.

Sunil Jakhar said that it was “unfortunate” that Mann had chosen to “politicise” the issue. He pointed out not every state fielded a tableau every year, and some were dropped for “technical reasons”.

In the past 17 years, Punjab did not have a tableau nine times, he pointed out.

Later, Mann also rejected an offer to field Punjab’s tableau at Bharat Parv, an event in Delhi’s Red Fort.

His office declared “… great martyrs, including Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev, Shaheed Udham Singh, Mai Bhago, Ghadri Baabe and others cannot be kept in the rejected category”, and accused the centre of trying to “belittle their contribution and sacrifice of these heroes…”