Maha, WB react sharply to R-Day tableau rejection

The non-BJP governments in Maharashtra and West Bengal on Thursday hit out at the Centre for rejecting their tableau for the Republic Day parade, dubbing the move an "insult" to the states.

The Trinamool Congress government alleged that the Centre was being vindictive towards the state because of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and NRC.

The Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra also reacted sharply. "It is an insult to Maharashtra," said Jitendra Awhad, a Cabinet minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led alliance government.

"For the last 70 years, Maharashtra's tableau is being displayed in the Republic Day parade... We were adjudged the winner several times," Awhad said, adding the rejection of the tableau was a blow to the federal structure of the country because of the politics pursued by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. "It is childish not to include the tableau of a government with a different ideology," he said.

Senior TMC leader and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Tapas Roy said the Centre and those at the helm were being vengeful towards Bengal. He said the rejection of their proposal was another example of vendetta politics.

"They have insulted Bengal and hurt the sentiments of its people by rejecting our tableau based on the internationally acclaimed Kanyashree scheme," Roy said.

The Ministry of Defence had earlier rejected the proposals of both the states. According to a statement issued by the ministry, West Bengal's proposal was rejected after it was deliberated at the second meeting of the expert committee. Bengal's earlier proposal was shortlisted.

The government is acting aggressively and discriminating against non-BJP ruled states, tweeted NCP Lok Sabha MP Supriya Sule.

Shiv Sena Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut questioned the "conspiracy" and slammed the state BJP. "Would the BJP in the state have stayed silent if the Congress was at the Centre," he asked.