Chandigarh: Continuing his tirade against the Centre over the rejection of Punjab’s tableau for the Republic Day parade, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann refused to send the state’s tableau for display at Bharat Parv saying the martyrs who featured in the creation didn’t deserve a place in the “rejected category”. Mann’s reaction came in response to the Centre’s communication dated December 30, which said that the “state/UT not selected for the Republic Day parade will be given an opportunity to display its tableau during Bharat Parv, being organised at Red Fort from January 23-31”.
The CM maintained the martyrs of the stature of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru, Sukhdev, Lala Lajpat Rai, Udham Singh, Kartar Singh Sarabha, Mai Bhago and Ghadari Babe didn’t need any “no-objection certificate from the BJP to prove their national standing”. “We will not allow Punjab to figure on the list of rejected states, which are being given a chance to display their tableaux separately, thereby getting second-class treatment. Punjab is capable of paying worthy tributes to its heroes and showcasing their legacy independently,” said Mann.