Punjab BJP and ruling AAP on Thursday hit out at each other on the issue of non-inclusion of Punjab's tableau in the Republic Day Parade. 

BJP hit out at Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accusing him of politicising the issue and alleged that the AAP government insisted that the tableau carried his and Arvind Kejriwal's photos. State BJP President Sunil Jakhar told reporters here that one of the reasons the tableau was not shortlisted was its "crude" make.

"Second, the AAP government was adamant that Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann's photos should be on it, which is not allowed as per protocol. This was one of the reasons for the rejection of the Punjab tableau," Jakhar said. 

Mann had on Wednesday slammed the BJP-led Centre for not including the state's tableau in the Republic Day parade. Mann had said that like last year, this time too, Punjab's tableau was not going to be a part of the Republic Day parade on January 26.  "The Centre has discriminated against Punjab," Mann had alleged, adding that both Punjab and Delhi are not on the list.

Jakhar said that it was unfortunate that Mann chose to "politicise" the issue. Punjab is a border state, a sensitive state, and the Chief Minister is trying to whip up sentiments with his claim that the Centre discriminated against Punjab, he said. Jakhar, who had joined the BJP, defecting from Congress, said that every state's tableau does not every year find a place in the Republic Day parade and sometimes some are not included for various reasons, including technical ones.

In the past 17 years, there have been nine occasions when Punjab's tableau has not been included for the Republic Day parade, including in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, he said. 

Mann had on Wednesday said the entire world wants to see Punjab's rich culture and contribution of Punjabis in the freedom struggle, but the Centre does not want tableaux that depict this and display pictures of freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Uddham Singh. 

BJP is a product of lies produced in ‘Make in India Factory': Punjab AAP 

Responding to the statement of Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar, chief spokesperson of  Aam Aadmi Party, Malvinder Singh Kang said that Sunil Jakhar lied about the Republic Day tableau.  There was no photo of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal anywhere in the tableau.

On Jakhar's statement that previous Chief Ministers never raised questions about this, Kang said that Captain Amarinder Singh and Badal did not have concern for the heritage of Punjab, but the current Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann cares about the culture and heritage of Punjab and its representation.

On Jakhar's statement that the tableau would have made a joke of Punjab, Kang questioned how showing the tableau of martyrs like Bhagat Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha, who sacrificed their lives for the country, can be a joke. 

Kang said that Punjab was discriminated against twice in such a big event, whereas Punjabis have laid maximum lives for the country,  for our country's independence and even after independence. Still, step-motherly behaviour towards Punjab shows what is the real intention of the BJP. 

Kang said that this time the tableau was unique. One had the concept of Mai Bhago with the message of women empowerment. The second was related to the culture of Punjab and the third was about the life and history of our martyrs. Kang said that the country is proud of Punjab and its great freedom fighters like Shaheed Bhagat Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha.