Shimla: What a shame? Tomorrow morning, when India celebrates its 60th Republic Day and states of the Republic of India show their might on Vijay Path in New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh would be absent.
It’s for the second consecutive year that Himachal Pradesh would not have a tableau at the Republic Day parade in New Delhi.
As per sources in the Department of Culture, Himachal Pradesh, the state is facing crunch of manpower and ideas. It was in the 2007 parade, when the state participated in the parade last time. Surjeet Singh, who was an artist with the Department of Culture, Himachal Pradesh had been designing the tableau for the state for the past many years. Singh retired from his services in 2007. Since then, according to the source, the state has not been able to fill the gap and come up with any ideas.
I’ll repeat, it’s a shame for all us Himachalis, whether in the state or living outside. It was a shame last year. However, I gave the benefit of doubt because of the assembly elections in the state last year and as the government was in transition, probably any ideas could not be sent. However, this year, what’s the reason this year? That Surjeet Singh has retired from the services and the government has been too lethargic to fill up the vacancy. Or the state does not have any artists? Or Republic Day is not an important occasion for the state to participate? Or is it that the BJP government in the state does not want to show its might as the government in the Centre is of Congress? Will the Congress government at the Centre take away all the credit of the work being done by the BJP government in the state?
According to another source in the Department of Culture, an idea was sent to the Defence Ministry, last year, for the tableau, however that got rejected. Shame again.
What ever be the reason, it’s a shame. The government in the state has taken up a premium project of being the only state in the country to become carbon neutral. It’s launched schemes to earn carbon credits. What a nice idea it would have been to showcase our initiative and model for the nation to follow, but unfortunately that is not to happen. Himachal’s emergence as a lead role player in the sector of environment and climate change has already been acknowledged by Shyam Saran – PM’s envoy on climate change – visiting the state and discussing the initiative with the state government. Himachal Pradesh is only second state after Costa Rica to aim to be carbon neutral.
Who’s to be blamed for the miss – The politicians or the bureaucrats? Does anyone have the answer?
watever is said is really pinching . himachalis should have a tableau at the republic day .. every state where showcases therestate himachal will be absent thats shame in itself .
playng a blame game with politicians is of no use . the thing should have been widely propagated rather than at last movement .. some volunteers from homaachal would have definitely be come forward.
Knowing the way the govt functions, it would be more prudent to know whether the contractors have been paid for the tableau in the previous years and if so then how long was the delay? More than the creative angle, it is the ‘cut’ angle which may not be enthusiastic enough for our babus to participate in the parade. Let’s wait for the sob story to be dished out the govt. later