Ludhiana: The political landscape in Punjab is heating up over the exclusion of the state’s tableau from the Republic Day parade in Delhi on January 26. The controversy surrounds the theme of Punjab’s tableau, prompting Sunil Jakhar, the state president of the BJP, to hold a press conference and claim that the tableaux were canceled because their theme was deemed inappropriate. Allegedly, images of Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann were displayed on these tableaux, leading to their cancellation by the central government.
In response to these allegations, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, during a press conference in Ludhiana on Friday, challenged Sunil Jakhar to substantiate his claims. Mann declared that if it could be proven that the photos of him or Kejriwal were part of the design of the tableaux, he would quit politics. However, he warned that if Jakhar’s accusations turned out to be false, Jakhar should refrain from returning to Punjab. Mann expressed his disbelief in Jakhar’s statement that Punjab’s tableau was excluded from the Republic Day parade nine times previously, emphasizing that if it were true, Jakhar should have raised the issue earlier.
Mann asserted that such baseless allegations were unacceptable, and he could not tolerate the disrespect shown to Punjab. He vowed to raise his voice against any injustice meted out to the state. The ongoing political tussle reflects the heightened tensions in Punjab, with the new Chief Minister wasting no time in defending the honor of the state against perceived slights. The challenge laid down by Mann adds an intriguing dimension to the controversy, turning it into a test of credibility for Sunil Jakhar.
As the political drama unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Jakhar can substantiate his claims and what consequences the Chief Minister’s challenge might entail for the political landscape in Punjab. The Republic Day parade, intended to showcase the cultural and historical diversity of states, has inadvertently become a stage for political discord, underscoring the intricacies and sensitivities involved in such events.
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