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Hours after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP-led central government of ‘deliberately’ excluding Delhi’s tableau from the upcoming Republic Day parade, the Defence Ministry issued a clarification, stating that the selection process is conducted with fairness and transparency.
Sources in the Ministry of Defence (MoD) told India Today TV that the selection of tableaux is guided by a rotating roster system, which ensures that 15 states and Union Territories (UTs) participate every three years.
“For the 2025 cycle, Delhi was among the shortlisted regions. However, its proposed tableau did not pass the rigorous evaluation by the Tableau Selection Committee, which assesses entries based on creative, thematic, and logistical criteria,” sources said.
Highlighting the openness of the process, the MoD sources disclosed that Mizoram and Sikkim did not submit any proposals this year, while Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep did not participate in the selection meetings.
“This created opportunities for five additional states to be considered, namely Punjab (under the Aam Aadmi Party’s administration), Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal,” they added.
Dismissing claims of political bias, a senior MoD official stated, “The allegations of biased selection are baseless. Punjab, where the AAP is in power, is one of the states participating this year, proving that the process is impartial”.
The official also pointed out that Delhi’s tableau has appeared seven times in the past two decades, a frequency consistent with the average participation of most states. Furthermore, five states, apart from Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, have participated more frequently than Delhi in recent years, the official added.
Furthermore, the official also asked states and UTs to prioritise the quality and relevance of their proposals over politicising the selection. “We encourage all participants to focus on creating compelling and representative entries that align with the parade’s themes,” the official added.
While speaking to reporters earlier in the day, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal accused the Modi government of venting out frustration against the Delhiites.
“Delhi’s tableau should be included in the Republic Day parade every year as it is the nation’s capital. What type of politics is this? Why do they hate Delhi and its people so much? Why should Delhi vote for them (BJP) then?,” Kejriwal said.
The row comes with little over a month left for 76th Republic Day on January 26, 2025.
