‘Centre rejected Delhi, Punjab tableaux to exact revenge on AAP’

New Delhi: Delhi Art, Culture and Languages Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Friday said the BJP-led central government rejected the tableaux of Delhi and Punjab for the Republic Day parade to “exact revenge on the AAP”, which governs the national capital and the border state.

Addressing a press conference, Bharadwaj said the Centre has rejected Delhi’s tableaux for three consecutive years now.

The last time Delhi’s tableau featured in the Republic Day parade was in 2021. It showcased the Shahjahanabad redevelopment project, according to officials.

Bharadwaj said Delhi’s tableau this year would have showcased schools in the city and the mohalla clinic model.

‘The tableau of Delhi, which is the capital of the country, was rejected by the Centre. Its tableau was rejected for the 2022 parade and then for the 2023 parade and now it has been rejected again for the 2024 parade,’ the minister said.

The theme of the Republic Day parade was “Nari Shakti” in 2023 and “Viksit Bharat” for 2024, he said.

‘No one can say it’s a design competition. The Centre had given us some suggestions and we incorporated those (into the tableau proposal). If it would have given us more suggestions, we would have included those too,’ Bharadwaj said.

‘Our tableau would have showcased schools and the mohalla clinic model,’ he added. Bharadwaj said it’s not a coincidence that Punjab’s tableau proposal was also rejected.

“The Centre is doing this to exact revenge on the AAP,” he charged. Regarding “Viksit Bharat” theme provided by the Central govt for the parade, he said, “Any state generally presents what aspects or items could represent the theme of a developed India in their tableau. India will develop through a good education system and better healthcare facilities.” Meanwhile, Delhi BJP Secretary, Bansuri Swaraj accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of creating a dispute regarding the Republic Day celebrations on Friday. ‘We had said it yesterday also and today again I ask Saurabh Bhardwaj to tell what format of the tableau was sent by his Delhi and Punjab governments because today the newspapers are reporting that both the govts wanted to put photographs of their CMs in the tableaus,’ said Swaraj.