New Delhi: The Ministry of Defence has issued a list of state’s tableaux, which have been selected for participation in the 2024 Republic Day parade at Delhi’s Kartavya Path amid all the politics surrounding the selection procedure. As per list, tableaux of 16 States and Union Territories (UTs) have been shortlisted by the Centre for the national event on January 26.

On Thursday, a statement was issued by the ministry outlining a detailed programme for fabrication of tableau and participation of the artists.

This year’s Republic Day event will witness the tableau of States including Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from this, the tableau of the Union Territory of Ladakh will also be part of this year’s parade.

Bhagwant Mann alleged that Centre discriminated against Punjab

Notification for the same has been sent to the Chief Secretaries of the selected States and UTs. As per ministry’s statement, the activities for fabrication of tableau would commence immediately at Rashtriya Rangshala Camp, Delhi Cantt. and APS colony, New Delhi.

A guideline has also been issued to the selected participant states, to adhere to the time schedule given for different stages of construction. The states have been asked to complete the work of fabrication of the tableaux till January 19.

Additionally, it has been notified to all the States and UTs, that in case the tableaux does not get fabricated as per approved design of the model and subsequent suggestions of the expert committee or the music is not as per agreed details by the committee, then the tableaux is liable to be disallowed to participate in the Republic Day Parade.

Earlier, on December 27, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had sparked a new political debate alleging that the BJP-led central government discriminated against Punjab, by not including the state’s tableau for the Republic Day parade, 2024. He added that he received a letter of R-Day tableaux finalists from the Centre which did not have names of Delhi and Punjab.

Following CM Mann’s statement, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked the BJP calling the move of rejection of Punjab and Delhi’s tableaux for the Republic Day tableau segment as politically motivated.

Tableaux to be named in Hindi, English, regional language

According to the notification, the name of State and the UT may be indicated in Hindi in front, in English on the back and in regional language on the sides of the tableau. The expert committee has suggested that apart from the name of the State and UT, no logos or writing would be permitted on the tableau.