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State tableau to miss RD parade for 5th time
State tableau to miss RD parade for 5th time, 65th Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on Jan 26. The tableau of Andhra Pradesh will be missing at the 65th Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on January 26.
- Defence Ministry not impressed by T theme
- Govt proposed grandeur of Kakatiya culture
- It is feared it would further rankle Seemandhra people
Hyderabad: The tableau of Andhra Pradesh will be missing at the 65th Republic Day Parade in New Delhi on January 26. The State has failed for the fifth year in a row to impress upon the Defence Ministry with the themes put forth by it for occasion. None of the themes merited their consideration. The theme that it pinned hopes on showcases the cultural splendor of Telangana. Sources said the Ministry was worried it would lead to unnecessary row at a time the State is all set to be bifurcated. The State sought to participate in the parade with a tableau depicting Kakatiya festival showcasing the grandeur of Warangal and its historical importance. The theme was approved by the Defence Ministry officials at their first meeting with the representatives from the State.
However, much to dismay of the state officials, the theme was turned down subsequently. The only reason cited by the officials – rather in private talks – that the theme was focusing on the grandeur of Telangana. Since a decision had already been made for bifurcating the state, such a sub-regional theme may not augur well for the occasion, it was reportedly conveyed.
Official sources said that the selection committee had initially selected the Kakatiya theme among three others presented at its first meeting held in June.
The theme of the tableau was Kakatiya dynasty with Ramappa temple replica and Perini Shiva Tandavam to coincide with the ongoing 800 years of Kakatiya rule celebrations. The other two themes presented before the committee were Bobbili Veena, known for its unique design and GI (geographical indication) tag and Kuchipudi dance, a classical dance from state.
In the second round meeting held in September first week, the committee headed by Defence Secretary R K Mathur examined the theme sent in 3D format to the committee. At the meeting, the officials suggested some minor modifications. It also asked the State Information and Public Relations (I&PR) department, the official agency which conceptualised the tableau, to attend the next meeting scheduled in November. But no further communication was received from the ministry in this regard.
When the issue was brought to the notice of the government, Chief Secretary P K Mohanty shot off a letter and urged the Defence Ministry to consider the Kakatiya Festival theme. But there was no response from the ministry which held its final meeting later in December, and finalized tableaus only from other States to participate in the Republic Day parade.
A Subhash Goud, the Additional Director (I&PR) of Andhra Pradesh, said that since there was no communication from the ministry, government has given up hopes this time also. The last tableau from the State showcased in the parade was in 2009. While the I&PR officials felt that the committee members adopted a biased attitude towards the State, the top officials in the Chief Minister’s office say the theme rightly reflected the Telangana culture. In the wake of growing regional differences over bifurcation, the Centre might have put aside the theme in a bid to stop criticism from the political leader and the people of Seemandhra region.
It was not new that the state got raw deal in the selection of tableaus. State has been failing to showcase itself at the Republic Day parade since 2009, despite the fact that the M Pallam Raju happened to be the then Union minister of state for Defence from 2009 to 2012.
As the Minister in-charge of the ceremonies Pallam Raju made vain attempts to get the state tableau for the parade in the national capital. For the 2013 parade, state submitted the themes- palaces and rocks of Hyderabad, Lepakshi temple and the Kondapalli toys. The Defence ministry rejected the themes citing many reasons in the screening committee meeting.
The Chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy also wrote a letter to Defence Ministry urging it to accept one of the three themes which includes Tribal lifestyle, preservation of forests and classical dance forms in 2012, but in vain.
The Chief minister’s office also pleaded with the defence ministry in 2011 and 2010 to consider the state tableau. No response was received from the selection committee. Interestingly, the committee never explained the reasons for the rejection of the themes to the state government.
