West Bengal CM urges PM Modi to include tableau of freedom fighters from state in Republic Day parade

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to include the tableau of freedom fighters from the state in the Republic Day parade on the 75th year of India's independence.

The Chief Minister, through the letter, expressed her disappointment by the decision to abruptly exclude the proposed tableau of the West Bengal Government.

"It is even more baffling for us that the tableau was rejected without assigning any reasons or justifications," she wrote.

The proposed tableau was commemorating the contributions of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his NIA's 125th birth anniversary year and was carrying portraits of some of the most illustrious sons and daughters in this country - Vidyasagar, Rabindranath Tagore, Vivekananda, Chittaranjan Das, Sri Aurobindo, Matangini Hazra, Birsa Munda, Nazrul Isla, the letter read.

"All the people of West Bengal are deeply pained by this attitude of the Central Government. Bengal was at the forefront of the Indian freedom struggle and has paid the heaviest price for the country's Independence through the partition," she added.

She further urged PM Modi to reconsider the decision and said, "the tableau which showcases the sacrifices and contribution of the lakhs of freedom fighters will be the most befitting way to pay our respect and homage to all those great souls who fought for our freedom."

Republic Day is celebrated in India every year on January 26 to commemorate the day the Constitution of the nation came into effect.

( With inputs from ANI )

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