Ludhiana (Punjab): Over two dozen tableaux wheeled over Kartavya Path as part of the 75th Republic Day parade in New Delhi including 16 from states and union territories excluding Punjab.
Following a dispute between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the state and the Centre over claims the state wanted pictures of party leader Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on the float, Punjab's tableau was missing from the parade in New Delhi.
The CM unfurled the national flag on the occasion of 75th Republic Day on the grounds of the Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) here and hailed Punjabi freedom fighters, who fought for Independence, following which the nation became a sovereign Republic.
Praising the Kuka and Akali movement, and the Komagata Maru incident which led India towards independence, he expressed disappointment for the missing tableau at the Republic Day Parade despite the state's contribution in getting Independence for the nation .
“Great martyrs, including Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Shaheed Sukhdev, Shaheed Udham Singh, Mai Bhago, Ghadri Baabe and others cannot be kept in the rejected category”, Mann was quoted as saying in a statement issued by AAP.
He also accused the Centre of trying to "belittle contribution of freedom fighters and sacrifice of these heroes". Over 1,500 police personnel have been posted in Punjab today to maintain law and order after Sikhs for Justice (SJF) chief and terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannu reportedly threatened to kill the Chief Minister.
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