The chief minister recalled that Karnataka faced a similar situation last year as well (File)
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.
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.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)