Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann hit out at the BJP-led central government on Wednesday, December 27, over the non-inclusion of the state’s tableau for the Republic Day parade, alleging the Centre has discriminated against the state. He said that like last year, this year too, Punjab’s tableau for January 26 will not be included.
“The Centre has discriminated against Punjab,” said Mann, adding that both Punjab and Delhi are not on the list whose tableaux have been selected. The tremendous sacrifices made by Punjabis in the fight for national freedom are being denigrated and humiliated by the power-hungry Centre.
Regretfully, while devotees from all over the world are honoring the Sahibzadas of Guru Gobind Singh, Baba Zorawar Singh, Baba Fateh Singh, and Mata Gujri at Fatehgarh Sahib, the BJP government is using devious means to degrade Punjab. He declared, “This indifferent treatment is unjustified and unacceptable.”
According to the CM, tableaux from several states raise the caliber of this march, which Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, will be attending.
How the tableau gets selected for the Republic Day parade?
17 states and union territories, including West Bengal, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, and Jammu & Kashmir, would exhibit their tableaus at Kartavya Path for the Republic Day parade, according to a statement made by the Minister of Defense on January 22.
All states, UTs, departments of the Central Government, and a few constitutional authorities are invited to participate in the march through tableaux around September. The fundamental principles about what each tableau can and should contain are shared by the Ministry of Defense.
Two separate states, or UTs, cannot have too many similar tableaus because the tableau as a whole should highlight the diversity of the nation. Except for the state, UT, and department names, which must be inscribed in Hindi on the front, English on the back, and a regional language on the sides, the tableaux cannot feature any text or logos.
The Ministry also requests that participants refrain from using plastic or anything derived from plastic and instead use environmentally friendly materials for their tableaus.
The selection procedure is complex and takes a long time. An expert committee including eminent individuals from several artistic disciplines, including painting, sculpture, music, architecture, dance, and more, is established by the Defense Ministry.
Procedure for selection:
(1) Sketch submission
This committee reviews the submitted drawings or sketches of the proposals first, and it may offer suggestions for changes to the design or sketch. The sketch should be clear, bright, concise, and free of superfluous details.
It should not require any textual explanation because it should be self-explanatory.
(2) Audio and Graphics
If the tableau includes a traditional dance, it should be a folk dance, and the musical instruments and clothes should be genuine and traditional. A video clip of the dance should be included with the proposal.
(3) Digital Models
Following approval, the participants’ next task is to create three-dimensional models for their suggestions.
The expert committee looks at these once more while considering several factors before making a final decision.
The committee considers several criteria before making its final decision, including the tableau’s concept or theme, visual appeal, effect on the general public, and level of detail.
The Defense Ministry provides some guidelines for the tableaus:
- The Ministry prohibits the use of any additional tractor, trailer, or even any other vehicle to be part of it.
- However, the participant can replace their ministry-provided tractor or trailer with other vehicles, but the total number should not be more than two vehicles.
- The tractor has to be camouflaged in harmony with the tableau’s theme, and the ministry stipulates a distance of around six feet between the tractor and the trailer for turning and maneuvering.
- The dimensions of the trailer on which the tableau will be placed are 24 feet, 8 inches long, eight feet wide, and four feet, two inches high, with a load-bearing capacity of 10 tonnes.
- The tableau should not be more than 45 feet long, 14 feet wide, and 16 feet high from the ground.
- The ministry specifies that there must be approximately six feet of space between the tractor and the trailer for turning and maneuvering, and the tractor must be hidden in a way that complements the subject of the tableau.
