In a heated exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the BJP has fired back at accusations of discrimination over the rejection of Punjab’s tableau for the Republic Day parade. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann claimed bias, asserting that the rejection was due to the inclusion of photographs of himself and Arvind Kejriwal.
According to Delhi BJP leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the real reason behind the rejection was the prominent display of Kejriwal and Mann’s pictures rather than honoring figures like Mai Bhago Ji or martyrs. Sirsa accused Mann of shamelessly lying and claimed that the chief minister had surrendered Punjab’s sovereignty to Kejriwal, branding it a betrayal in the name of change.
Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj joined the fray, highlighting that Delhi’s tableau had faced rejection for three consecutive years. He argued that the BJP-led central government was seeking revenge against AAP governments, pointing to consistent rejections of Delhi and Punjab’s tableaux. The minister emphasized that the central government had not provided any reason for excluding Punjab’s presentation.
AAP Counters Allegations, Cries Foul Play in Tableau Rejections
In response to the BJP’s accusations, AAP leaders denounced the central government’s decision as dirty politics. AAP’s Priyanka Kakkar criticized the exclusion of Delhi and Punjab’s tableaux from the Republic Day parade, alleging a pattern of sidelining non-BJP ruled states. She accused the BJP of favoring states like Assam, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand consistently.
Delhi BJP secretary Bansuri Swaraj defended the rejection, asserting that a committee of specialists evaluates tableau proposals. Swaraj accused AAP leaders of hiding the true reasons behind the rejection and condemned their attempt to politicize the decision. She pointed to the AAP governments’ alleged lack of substantial achievements, citing issues such as liquor scams, fake medicines scams, bungalow scams, drug sales in Punjab, and ministers facing legal troubles.
Mann’s Provocative Claim on National Anthem Ignites Tensions
Adding fuel to the fire, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann raised eyebrows by suggesting that the government aimed to remove the word ‘Punjab’ from the national anthem. This provocative claim added another layer of tension to the ongoing dispute between the AAP-led Punjab government and the BJP at the center.
As the political spat continues, it remains to be seen whether the central government will provide a detailed explanation for the rejection of Punjab’s tableau and address the broader allegations of political bias in the selection process for the Republic Day parade.
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