The recent clash between Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and BJP’s Sunil Jakhar intensified as the Defence Ministry unveiled the Punjab government’s Republic Day parade tableau design, devoid of any images of Mann or AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal.
Accusing Jakhar of falsehoods and putting Punjab’s interests aside, Mann confronted Jakhar’s claims that the AAP government pushed for their images on the tableau, challenging Jakhar to prove the allegations. Dismissing Jakhar’s assertions as baseless, Mann pointed to the Defence Ministry’s statement confirming the absence of any such images.
The dispute arose as Jakhar accused Mann of politicizing the tableau’s exclusion and claimed the AAP government insisted on their images, leading to the rejection of Punjab’s proposal. Mann countered this, labeling Jakhar’s statements as mere imagination and a blind justification of the Modi government’s actions, emphasizing the tableau’s depiction of Punjab’s cultural richness and heritage of sacrifice.
The Defence Ministry clarified that Punjab’s proposal didn’t align with this year’s broader themes, dismissing Mann’s criticism as unfounded. The clash underscores the ongoing political tensions surrounding the Republic Day parade tableau selection process.