Republic Day 2020: Centre rejects Mamata-led West Bengal government's tableau proposal

In a major development, the Ministry of Defence on Wednesday has rejected the West Bengal government's tableau proposal for the Republic Day parade on January 26. It said that the proposal was rejected by the expert committee in two rounds of meetings. "The tableau proposal of West Bengal government was examined by the expert committee in two rounds of meetings. The tableau proposal of West Bengal government was not taken forward for further consideration by the committee after deliberations in the second meeting," an official statement said.

The statement added that the West Bengal government's tableau was earlier shortlisted for participation in the Republic Day Parade 2019 as an outcome of the same process. On the other hand, 22 proposals comprising 16 States and Union Territories and six ministries and departments have been shortlisted for participation in the parade after a series of five meetings. "For the Republic Day Parade 2020, 56 tableaux proposals, 32 from States and Union Territories and 24 from ministries and departments, were received," the statement said.

'Only a limited number of tableaux can be shortlisted'

The tableaux proposals received from various States, Union Territories, Central ministries and departments are evaluated in a series of meetings of an expert committee comprising eminent persons in the field of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, choreography, etc. "The expert committee examines the proposals on the basis of theme, concept, design and its visual impact before making its recommendations. Due to time constraints arising out of the overall duration of the parade, only a limited number of tableaux can be shortlisted for participation in the parade," said the statement.

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BJP-W.B CM dispute

The TMC-led Bengal government has had a tussle with the Centre over several issues as the ruling BJP has been trying to expand its base in the state ahead of the Assembly polls in the state next year. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has repeatedly said that she will not allow Bengal to be a part of the proposed nationwide NRC. In December, a four-member delegation of Trinamool Congress politicians that visited BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh to meet families of those killed in violent protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act were stopped by police personnel at the Lucknow airport. The BJP leadership has now decided to launch a campaign in West Bengal to counter what it claims is the Trinamool's "misinformation programmes" against the amended citizenship law and reach out to refugees.

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(with ANI inputs)