Tableaux of exclusion (Indian Express)

Mains Paper 2: Polity
Prelims level: Not much
Mains level: Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure

Context:

• The Republic Day parade has been dragged into the over-politicised conversation that now stands in for meaningful public discourse.
• The tableaux that form an integral part of the parade highlighting the culture of various states, union territories and even the mandate of Union ministries are now a front in the battle between the Centre and non-BJP ruled states.
• Maharashtra, Kerala, West Bengal and Bihar are among the states that have been excluded from the parade, and are crying foul.
• The governments of both West Bengal and Kerala have drawn a connection between their rejection of the CAA-NRC and exclusion from the parade.

About the selection process:

• The selection of tableaux is done by a committee under the Union Ministry of Defence.
• Only 16 states have been selected for the parade, and government and BJP spokespersons insist that there is no political bias at play in the selection.
• They have also cited the fact that in the past, tableaux have been rejected when there were Congress governments both at the Centre and in the states concerned.
• It is by the same process that the current selection has been made.
• This is essentially a procedural justification for what has become a political issue, and, therefore, is unlikely to cut ice with the aggrieved states.

Arguments behind not selection:

• Arguably, more than any other government in recent times, the Narendra Modi-led government is acutely aware of the potency of political symbolism and optics.
• To be seen as excluding entire states whose elected governments have stood in opposition to the NRC and CAA will certainly strain already fraying Centre-state relations.
• It is certainly possible, as the Ministry of Defence insists, that the exclusions are purely procedural.
• The current climate of division and suspicion makes it incumbent on the Centre to not conform to its image as being overbearing on the back of its majority in Parliament.

Conclusion:

• The Republic Day parade in India has always been much more than a celebration of masculine nationalism and militarism it bears testimony to the diversity of India.
• The way to rescue it now might be to practice that once-much-vaunted slogan cooperative federalism.

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Prelims Questions:

Q.1) With reference to the '107th Indian Science Congress', consider the following statements:
1. A Farmers Science Congress is being held for the first time in the history of Indian Science Congress.
2. Indian Science Congress Association is a premier scientific organisation of India headquartered in Delhi.

Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) None

Ans: A
Mains Questions:
Q.1) Do you think the Republic Day parade has become yet another front in the battle between the Centre and states? Comment.