Calcutta HC Dismisses PIL Seeking Direction To Centre To Allow Bengal's Tableau For Republic Day Parade

The Calcutta High Court today dismissed a PIL seeking direction to the Centre to allow West Bengal's tableau on Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for the Republic Day parade in New Delhi on January 26.

Observing that the petitioner has approached the Court at a late stage, a Division Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj said that no effective direction can be issued now with the Republic Day celebration to be held on Wednesday.

The Bench noted various defects in the petition, which were pointed out by the Additional Solicitor General.

"Hence, no case for interference in the present writ petition is made out which is accordingly dismissed," the Bench said in its order.

The petitioner, an Advocate of the High Court, prayed for issuance of a direction to the central government to permit the West Bengal tableau of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose for the ensuing Republic Day parade.

The petitioner submitted this is the year of the 125th birth anniversary of Netaji and that the Centre has "wrongly rejected" the state's tableau for the Republic Day parade themed on the great patriot and Indian National Army (INA) without assigning any reason.

Appearing for the central government, Additional Solicitor General Y J Dastoor submitted that the petition is not maintainable citing technical defects in it.

He also submitted that "though Netaji was ignored by the earlier governments, the present government is treating Netaji as icon and recognising his contribution in hastening the process of Independence".

Dastoor said in his submission that January 23, the birth anniversary of Netaji, has already been declared 'Parakram Diwas' and the central government is celebrating it from January 23 to 30.

"Hologram of Netaji has been put at India Gate which will be replaced by a statue of Netaji in August, 2022," he stated before the Court.

The ASG also submitted that as far as reasons for rejection are concerned, if the state wants, the same can be supplied and the decision to exclude a tableau is taken as per the rules.

Advocate General S N Mookherjee, representing the state, stated that he has no instruction if the reasons for rejection have been communicated to the West Bengal government.

With PTI inputs