Republic Day Parade 2020 tableau war: After Bengal, Maharashtra, now Kerala sees red

New Delhi, Jan 03: After West Bengal and Maharashtra, Kerala's tableau proposal has been denied permission for this year's Republic Day parade 2020 on January 26.

Kerala had proposed a theme comprising the state's art and architecture, which would comprise the traditional art forms of Theyyam and Kalamandala. The tableau showed Kerala's backwaters, Kathakali, Mohiniyattam dancers and percussionists playing the traditional instrument of Chenda (drums).

Kerala Law Minister A K Balan however called the decision of rejecting Kerala's tableau as politically motivated. He also said that Kerala is the only state to pass a resolution in the state Assembly against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Earlier, the Ministry of Defence had rejected tableau proposals of Maharashtra, West Bengal and Bihar.

NCP MP Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut targeted the Modi-led government for rejecting Maharashtra's tableau for the Republic Day parade, with the Sharad Pawar-led party dubbing the move an insult to the state. However, the state BJP said that in past Maharashtra's tableau had not featured in the January 26 parade many times.

The Ministry of Defence announced that it has selected 22 tableau out of 56 proposals for the Republic Day parade 2020 on January 26. The selected tableau will feature 16 states and union territories and six central ministries. The Ministry had received 32 tableau proposals from states and union territories and 24 from central ministries and departments.

It had earlier clarified the tableau proposal of West Bengal government was not taken forward for further consideration by the committee after deliberations in the second meeting.

After facing criticism from opposition political leaders in Maharashtra and West Bengal, the government rubbished claims that there was any malicious intent behind the move. They also said that even the BJP-ruled state has also been rejected this year. These states are Haryana, Uttarakhand, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh.

Meanwhile, after 4 years, the state of Telangana finally got an opportunity to showcase its cultural heritage in the form of a tableau at the upcoming Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26, 2020. This time the tableau is about 'Bathukamma' and 'Medaram -Sammkaa Sarakka Jatara' festivals against the backdrop of Warangal's Thousand pillar temple.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Brazilian President Jair Messias Bolsonaro to be the Chief Guest at the Republic Day, which the Brazilian president accepted.