CM Siddaramaiah lashes out at Centre for denying Karnataka a tableau in R-Day parade
Bengaluru, Jan 9: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday hit out at the Centre for denying the state an opportunity to take part in the tableau presentation during the Republic Day parade.
The Chief Minister said the Centre denied Karnataka a tableau because there is a Congress government in the state.
According to him, the proposals for tableaux included showcasing the life of Mysuru ruler Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar, Kittur Rani Chennamma who fought against the British like Jhansi Rani Lakshmi Bai and Bengaluru founder Nadaprabhu Kempegowda.
"The central government has insulted the seven crore Kannadigas by denying the opportunity for the state's tableau at the Republic Day parade to be held in New Delhi on January 26," Siddaramaiah said on social media platform X.
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The chief minister recalled that Karnataka faced a similar situation last year as well, when the state's tableau was initially rejected but later permitted keeping Karnataka elections in mind.
"This time, the central government has again continued its trend of insulting Kannadigas," he charged.
Several tableau proposals were sent from Karnataka, but unfortunately the central government has rejected all these proposals, Siddaramaiah rued.
"We had conceptualised the tableau of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar to depict his immense contributions to democracy and development of our state. We had also sent proposals to depict the contributions of Kittur Rani Chennamma and Nadaprabhu Kempegowda too along with the proposals to showcase Karnataka's rich heritage and Brand Bengaluru," the chief minister explained.
"However, the central committee rejected our request, depriving us of the opportunity to introduce the nation to our state's immense achievements and exemplary figures," he alleged.
The fact that the Congress government is in power in the state seems to be a factor of concern for the BJP-led central government, the chief minister said adding that, from devolution of tax to the injustice in drought relief, to the sale of banks, ports, and airports built by Kannadigas, the Centre is constantly attacking the people of the state with political malice.
"Now, by denying the state the opportunity in the tableau presentation, it has attacked our identity again," Siddaramaiah alleged.
"It is unfortunate that the MPs of @BJP4Karnataka are not questioning this injustice. They have become puppets of Narendra Modi. To whom are they loyal? Kannadigas or Narendra Modi?" he asked on 'X'.
Stating that Kannadigas are already enraged by the continuous injustice from the Centre towards Kannada and Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said the central government should not test their patience.
"It is not too late yet, the Central Government should immediately correct its mistake and rectify the injustice done to Karnataka by allowing us to participate in the tableau presentation at the prestigious Republic Day parade," the chief minister demanded.
The Central Government has insulted the seven crore Kannadigas by denying the opportunity for the state's tableau at the Republic Day parade to be held in New Delhi on January 26th. Karnataka faced similar situation even last year as our state’s tableau was initially rejected.…
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) January 9, 2024
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
