'Shocked By Centre's Move To Reject Bengal R-Day Tableau'

Expressing shock over the Centre’s decision to exclude West Bengal’s tableau, which was set to highlight contributions of freedom fighters, from the upcoming Republic Day Parade in Delhi, Chief Minister Mamara Banerjee on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to reconsider the decision as people of the state would be “pained” by the move.

Banerjee also said that no reason was cited for the tableau’s rejection.

“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 was rejected without assigning any reasons or justifications,” Banerjee said in a two-page letter to Modi.

The proposed tableau was set to commemorate the contributions of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and his INA on his 125th birth anniversary year, the CM said.

“I may like to inform you that all the people of West Bengal are deeply pained by this attitude of the central government. It is shocking to find that the contribution of its valiant freedom fighters finds no place in the nation’s ceremony to celebrate the occasion of Republic Day on the 75th year of our Independence. 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,” Banerjee added.

Earlier, floor leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had written to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue and had said that he is disappointed and shocked. “It is an insult to the people of Bengal that the Central Government has rejected the proposal of West Bengal’s tableau showcasing its cultural heritage and Netaji’s life and contributions in our Freedom Struggle, on Republic Day,” he said.

Meanwhile, Congress leader BK Hariprasad has alleged that the BJP is vindictive towards non-NDA ruled states. “BJP is having a vindictive attitude towards certain states. The Centre has rejected Kerala government’s tableau which was based on Narayana Guru, a philosopher & social reformer.”