Jakhar 'lying' on Punjab tableau for Republic Day parade: Punjab CM

Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday criticised State BJP President Sunil Jakhar for 'putting foot in his mouth' by speaking a 'naked lie' on the issue of rejection of tableau for Republic Day by the BJP-led Union government.

In a statement here, the Chief Minister said while the state government had always said that the Modi government had rejected the tableau of the state because of its "anti-Punjab" syndrome, but Jakhar was trying to be 'more loyal than the king' by justifying the move of the Union government that, too, on false ground.

He added that Jakhar misled the people of the state by asserting that the tableau of the state included his pictures or that of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, which was a lie.

Mann said now that the Ministry of Defence had clarified that there were no pictures of him or of Kejriwal in the tableau, adding that the lie of the State BJP President had been exposed.

The Chief Minister added that the tableau designed by the state was aimed at showcasing its rich cultural heritage along with tradition of sacrifice and martyrdom during the Republic Day Parade.

Criticising the Central government for rejecting the tableau, Mann said the BJP government is playing such dirty tactics to humiliate Punjab, adding that martyrdom and sacrifices are part of the glorious heritage of the state, which was to be highlighted in the tableau.