Republic Day Tableau: Congress Cries Foul Over Non-Selection Of Karnataka's Entry

Congress leaders in Karnataka have been crying foul over the non-selection of the state's tableau for this year's Republic Day parade.

This comes after the state's record of having participated in the parade for the last 13 years, second only to Jammu and Kashmir, over the last 15 years.

The state's entry which was to showcase its millet diversity has not made it to the final list and this has got opposition leaders lashing out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government both at the centre and the state.

Congress member and Leader of the Opposition of the Karnataka Legislative Council, BK Hariprasad called it a step-motherly attitude towards Karnataka.

"Last time they almost dismissed the tableaus of Narayanaguru, Basaveshwara and all. This time they have not given space for Karnataka," he said.

Former chief minister Siddaramaiah launched a multi-tweet attack saying the 'rejection of Karnataka's tabaleau reflects how serious BJP Karnataka is about upholding the pride of our state'.

Terming the disqualification 'unfortunate', he said, "had they put in a little more thought in designing the theme, Karnataka could have presented its tableaux on the Republic Day".

He also attacked the government saying the calling Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai 'weak and incapable' and state BJP leaders 'cowards in front of their high command' in whose interests they have 'pledged the pride our pride'.

In a tweet in Kannada, he asked all Kannadigas to condemn this as it was an "insult to Kannada, Kannadigas and Karnataka".

Hariprasad, last year, had called the rejection of Kerala's tableau as a BJP conspiracy.

"BJP is having vindictive attitude towards certain states Centre has rejected kerala tableau based on Narayana Guru,a philosopher & social reformer. He fought against caste-ridden society & rejecting his tableau is an insult to spiritual guru," he had tweeted.

Siddharamaiah had echoed the sentiment and demanded that the central government 'apologize for their act of insult to Narayana Guru' and allow the tableau.

West Bengal too had taken offence to the 'rejection' of their entry and tried to paint it as the 'undermining of Netaji by the centre', with Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury calling it 'an insult to the people of West Bengal, its cultural heritage and our great hero Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.'

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi countered the allegations and attacks of the opposition leaders saying there is no political or bureaucratic interference in the selection of the tableaus, as it is an expert committee that makes the final selection.

Speaking to reporters in Chitradurga, Joshi clarified saying, 'Of the 36 entries each year, only 12 get selected. If all 36 are to be given a chance, then the parade will have to be extended from 1.5 hours to four hours' he remarked adding that the state would still make efforts to qualify.

The Karnataka government though clarified that the state's tableau did not get the chance to take part in keeping with the union government's effort at providing opportunity to the states that took part least number of times, during the last eight years.

Nodal Officer for Republic Day tableau C R Naveen, in a statement said that if the lists of participating states are compared it is evident that 'all the three prize winning states in 2022 are not selected this year'.

Except three states, the rest of the states that took part last year are not selected, it added.

(With inputs from PTI)