[Prev][Next][Index]
Is this India or Pakistan?
Central Govt rejected Delhi Govt's tableau for R-Day parade
Times of India, January 7, 1995
New Delhi: The Delhi government's tableau entry for the coming Republic
Day Parade has been rejected for third year in succesion and chief minister
Madan Lal Khurana is unhappy about it.
He is angry not just for the rejection but also he sees as "pseudo-
secularism". The entry sent to the Union defence ministry's tableau
selection committee (TSC) was Prithviraj Chauhan's march, which proved
fatal for himself and Hindu rule in Delhi, to battle in the early 12th
century.
The TSC, however, rejected the idea. When the trial of Bahadurshah
Zafar, the last Mughal king, was accepted as an entry few years ago, why
not Prithviraj, asked the chief minister.
The TSC appears to have aired the chief minister's suspicions by not
keeping silent on their reasons. He has been told a saffron flag, the
color also chosen by Hindu groupings, in the proposed tableau is inapp-
ropriate. "This was the flag used in those days... am I supposed to show
Prithviraj carrying the new tricolor?" thundered the CM.
The CM had protested vigoriously and minister of state for defence
Mallikarjun sent two TSC personnel to the CM's office yesterday. They
told him the idea of this tableau was good but there were shortcomings.
He assured them of carrying out rectification, if suggested, and asked
for a change of decision. "If the idea is satisfactory, on what basis is
it being rejected," he asked. He was also demanded a clarification on the
saffron-Chauhan theme.
The saffron flag is a symbol of our ancient culture. To identify it
with his, or any other, political party is wrong, says Mr Khurana. It
symbolised sacrifice and the victory of good over evil. For this reason,
rulers carried it to battle.
In the tableau model, Prithviraj leads the rest, on a horse. In the
rear are soldiers preparing for the march, tilak being applied to their
forehead, performance of aarti and so forth with a fort in the background.
The TSC suggested some modifications on the original model and this was
also done.
The Chauhan march was a second choice. The Delhi govt had first
prepared a model on Indraprastha, the ancient capital of the Pandavas
and, according to the popular belief, the site of present Delhi. Also
shown was the coronation of Yudhishtra, with Krishna and Bhishma present.
The TSC did not like it and the Prithviraj one was substituted.
If the TSC is, in effect, saying the ancient culture and history of
Delhi is not acceptable, the city government finds this unacceptable,
says Mr Khurana.
