Punjab’s R-Day parade tableau rejected; BJP defends move, cites photos of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann

Citing the photographs of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann in Punjab's tableau for the Republic Day parade as the reason for its rejection, Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state president Sunil Jakhar on Thursday said the parade is not a platform for “self-endorsement or advertisement”.

Jakhar also said that the Punjab tableau was rejected by the ceremonial unit of the central government.

“...The reason for the tableau being rejected is the photographs of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann inside the tableau. They wanted to install their portraits or statues on the tableau, which was rejected by the ceremonial unit of the central government, which looks after all procedures... Republic Day parade is not a platform for self-endorsement or advertisement...,” said Jakhar.

The Punjab BJP president was reacting to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s comments on the issue.

On Wednesday, Mann had slammed the BJP-led Centre for not including the state's tableau in the Republic Day parade, calling it a step towards removing the word Punjab from the national anthem.

“If they have their way they will take out the word ‘Punjab’ from the national anthem Jana Gana Mana,” Mann had said.

The CM had said that like last year, this time too, Punjab's tableau was not going to be a part of the Republic Day parade on January 26.

“The Centre has discriminated against Punjab,” he had alleged, adding that both Punjab and Delhi are not on the list.

Every state's tableau does not find a place in the Republic Day parade every year and sometimes some are not included for various reasons, including technical ones, said Jakhar, who had joined the BJP after defecting from the Congress.

In the past 17 years, there have been nine occasions when Punjab's tableau has not been included in the Republic Day parade -- in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, he added.

(With inputs from agencies)