Defence Ministry rejects Kerala’s Republic Day tableau again
Thiruvananthpuram A row has erupted in Kerala after the Defence Ministry rejected the state’s Republic Day parade float theme for the third time in recent years, said police
Thiruvananthpuram
A row has erupted in Kerala after the Defence Ministry rejected the state’s Republic Day parade float theme for the third time in recent years, said police.
Though the state submitted a proposal for the tableau of social reformer Sree Narayana Guru and Jatayu Park monument the ministry insisted to change it to Adi Shankara, but the ministry rejected it.
“It is sad. I don’t know why Sree Narayana Guru’s tableau was rejected. We have no idea why the Centre is against the social reformer and we want to know the state BJP also sharing this bias. The float was avoided at the eleventh hour and concerned people owe an explanation to the state,” said state education minister V Sivankutty.
He said initially selection board members lauded the idea but later dropped it reasons best known to them. He said the state’s tableaus were rejected twice earlier in 2019 and 2020 and the Centre is taking on the state for opposing some of its anti-people policies.
CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan also criticised the Centre’s decision. He said the centre’s move was an insult to the social reformer. When asked about this a senior leader of the BJP said he was not aware of the issue and will respond after checking facts. When the state’s tableau was rejected in 2020 then culture minister A K Balan said “it was a politically motivated move and the centre can’t dictate terms to the state.”