The rejection of the Kerala tableau for the Republic Day parade by the Centre is assuming much political significance this time as the proposed tableau featured known renaissance leader Sree Narayana Guru.
Sree Narayana Guru was from the Hindu Ezhava community that constitutes over 20 per cent of the Kerala population and is also the largest among the Hindu community. It comes in the OBC category.
For these reasons the rejection of the tableau featuring Sree Narayana Guru is triggering many protests in Kerala. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday seeking intervention to include Kerala tableau in the Republic Day parade. Vijayan had highlighted the significance of the tableau featuring Sree Narayana Guru in the present social scenario.
Congress had also flayed the decision to reject the tableau featuring the Guru.
The centre maintained that the tableau of all states could not be included in the Republic Parade every year and it was for this reason that Kerala's tableau could not be included.
Meanwhile, the CPM was also using the issue against the BJP leadership in Kerala. Education Minister V Sivankutty asked BJP leaders in Kerala to respond on the matter.
The Sree Narayana Dharmaparipalana Yogam and Sivagiri Mutt founded by the Guru had also flayed the rejection of the tableau featuring the leader of the renaissance movement.
Watch the latest DH Videos here: