Express News Service
NEW DELHI: A row erupted again between the centre and the West Bengal government on Sunday after the Centre rejected the West Bengal’s proposed tableau for the Republic Day parade, themed on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s contribution in fight for freedom.
A couple of days before, the proposed tableau of Kerala government was rejected by the Centre for the Republic Day parade participation.
On Sunday, the centre’s rejection evoked a sharp reaction from Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who wrote a 2-page letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing the exclusion of Bengal’s proposed tableau a ‘highly shocking’.
“Urging the prime minister to look into the matter,” Mamata Banerjee wrote in her 2-page letter that the Centre’s rejection had profoundly shocked and hurt her sentiment.
“It is even more baffling for us that the tableau was rejected without assigning any reasons or justification. The proposed tableau was commemorating the contributions of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his NIA on his 125th birth anniversary and was carrying portraits of some of the most illustrations sons and daughters of this country”, Mamata Banerjee wrote in the letter.
She said tat the people of West Bengal were deeply pained by the rejection of proposed tableau by the centre government.
She mentioned that it was shocking to find that the contributions of Bengal’s freedom fighters found no place in the national’s ceremony to celebrate the occasion of the Republic Day on the 75th years of Independence.
Dwelling upon the contribution of West Bengal in the freedom movement, she said that rishi Bankim Chandra Chattopadhaya had articulated the first mantra of nationalisms, Vande Mantram, which later went on to become the national song.
Ramesh Chandra Dutt wrote the first comprehensive economic critique of British colonialism and Surendranath Banerjee founded the first nationalist political organisation in the country” she stated.
She categorically further stated that the exclusion of the tableau amounts to belittling and undermining these freedom fighters.
“I urge you to reconsider the decision and include the tableau of freedom fighters from West Bengal in the Republic Day parade. The tableau showcasing the sacrifices and contribution of the laksh of freedom fighters will be the most befitting way to pay respects and homage to those great souls who fought for freedom”, Mamata wrote in the letter to the Prime Minister.
“I may like to inform you that all the people of West Bengal are deeply pained by this attitude of the central government.
It is shocking to find that the contribution of its valiant freedom fighters finds no place in the nation’s ceremony to celebrate the occasion of the Republic Day on the 75th year of our Independence,” she underlined.
The CM insisted that the tableau, if included, would pay homage to all great souls in the most befitting way.
“I urge you to reconsider the decision and include the tableau of freedom fighters from West Bengal in the Republic Day parade on the 75th year of our Independence. The tableau which showcases the sacrifices and contribution of the lakh of freedom fighters will be the most befitting way to pay our respect and homage to all those great souls who fought for our freedom,” she added.
The Congress has also expressed its dismay over the development, with its leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury writing to the Centre on the issue.
In his letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday, he said the decision was an “insult to the people of West Bengal, its cultural heritage and our great hero Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. Every state aspires to showcase its cultural tradition and icons during Republic Day so that the public at large at the national level becomes aware of the same.”
The central government has “shown its bias by denying this opportunity” to the people of West Bengal, Chowdhuy stated.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya, when approached, said his party would never indulge in politics over patriots and icons.
“Some technical reasons might have prompted the rejection. Our government and the BJP know about the immense contributions of Netaji and look upto him as our icon and national hero. The BJP never does politics over patriots like Netaji. It is the TMC which is politicising the matter,” he added.
Besides this, grandnephew of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose also expressed his dismay on the rejection of West Bengal tableau on Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose by the Centre.
(With PTI Inputs)
