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Tamil Nadu, Bengal showcase rejected tableau at state functions
Chief ministers of both states have lodged a strong protest with Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the rejection by a Defence ministry committee.
Chennai/Kolkata: The Tamil Nadu and West Bengal governments on Wednesday displayed the Republic Day tableaus rejected by the Central government at state-level functions in the respective state capitals.
Chief ministers of both states have lodged a strong protest with Prime Minister Narendra Modi against the rejection by a Defence ministry committee. However, a Defence ministry spokesperson had said that the state government proposals were rejected as per the criteria specified in the guidelines.
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The Tamil Nadu tableau features freedom fighters from the state –Rani Velu Nachiyar, the Marudu brothers, V O Chidambaraman Pillai and others– in the Indian Independence movement.
One tableau depicts Velu Nachiyar riding a horse with a sword in hand to recall her valiant fight against the British. She was the Queen of Sivagangai region from 1780 to 1790 and the state government says that she was the first Indian Queen to wage a war with the East India Company in India. She is hailed as “Veeramangai” meaning brave woman. She blew up an ammunition storage of East India Company by arranging a suicide attack.
Marudhupandiyar brothers (known as Marudu Brothers)--who were also depicted in the tableau offered protection to Velu Nachiyar and helped her win the war against the East India Company and win back Sivagangai. They also became Kings of Sivagangai and were later executed by the East India Company after they were defeated.
The tableau depicts the hanging of the Marudu Brothers. It also portrays V O Chidambaram Pillai who was charged with sedition by the British Government as well as poet Subramania Bharathi.
Governor R N Ravi unfurled the national flag at the Marina Beach in Chennai in the presence of chief minister M K Stalin.
The West Bengal government showcased its tableau depicting Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose in Kolkata at the state level function presided over by Governor Jagdeep Dhankar. The function was the first time in recent days where chief minister Mamata Banerjee was present in the same event as Dhankar.
Banerjee greeted Dhankhar when the latter approached her after reaching the venue but kept a distance from the governor during a photo session by standing with assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee, with whom Dhankhar had a spat on Tuesday.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party accused the government of removing leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari’s name from the list of invitees for the Republic Day function -- a charge which the TMC rejected.
