The Defence Ministry rejected the inclusion of Tamil Nadu’s tableau in the Republic Day parade on Monday, 17 January, only days after the national government rejected the tableaux presented by Kerala and West Bengal for the forthcoming show.
The tableaux for the procession are chosen by an expert group made up of notable names from several fields of art. While there is a well-established mechanism for selecting the tableaux, the process almost always becomes a flashpoint for regional politics.
The rejection of their tableaux by the Centre has enraged the three states, with state officials denouncing the process and requesting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assistance.
Meanwhile, in the midst of the controversy, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying that the tableaux for the Republic Day parade are chosen according to precise criteria.
MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, questioning the state’s absence from the Republic Day celebration.
On Tuesday, the CM expressed his “shock” and “sadness” at the rejection, which he described as “without any reason.”
Meanwhile, in the midst of the controversy, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, saying that the tableaux for the Republic Day parade are chosen according to precise criteria.
MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, questioning the state’s absence from the Republic Day celebration.
On Tuesday, the CM expressed his “shock” and “sadness” at the rejection, which he described as “without any reason.”
