Centre rejects West Bengal government`s tableau proposal for Republic Day Parade

New Delhi: In what is likely to further aggravate tension between the Centre and West Bengal government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Union Ministry of Defence has rejected her state's tableau proposal for the upcoming Republic Day Parade on January 26. The tableau proposal of West Bengal was rejected after the expert committee made a few objections, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The tableau proposal of the government of West Bengal was examined by the expert committee in two rounds of meetings. The tableau proposal of the government of West Bengal was not taken forward for further consideration by the Expert Committee after deliberations in the second meeting," a Defence Ministry release said.

It further stated that the tableau of the government of West Bengal was shortlisted for participation in Republic Day Parade 2019 as an outcome of the same process. The Defence Ministry stated that 22 proposals comprising 16 states and Union Territories and six ministries and departments have been shortlisted for the Republic Day Parade. 

The shortlisting was done from as many as 56 tableau proposals - 32 from states and Union Territories and 24 from various ministries and departments - received by the central government.

"There is a well-established system for selection of tableaux for participation in the Republic Day Parade as per which Ministry of Defence invites proposals for tableau from all States/Union Territories and Central Ministries/Departments," the Defence Ministry said.

The tableaux proposals received from various States and Union Territories and Central Ministries and Departments are evaluated in a series of meetings of the Expert Committee comprising of eminent persons in the field of art, culture, painting, sculpture, music, architecture, choreography and others.

The panel examines the proposals on the basis of theme, concept, design and its visual impact before making its recommendations. Due to time constraints arising out of overall duration of the parade, only a limited number of tableaux can be shortlisted for participation in the parade. The selection process in vogue, leads to the participation of the best tableaux in the parade.

''It stated that the tableau proposal of the government of West Bengal was examined by the expert committee in two rounds of meetings. However, it was not taken forward for further consideration by the Expert Committee after deliberations in the second meeting,'' the Defence Ministry added.