The Congress on Friday accused the BJP-led Centre of misusing the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and alleged procedural lapses in the planning of the Ekta Parade proposed to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the leader in Gujarat.
Senior Gujarat Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil claimed that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs, headed by Amit Shah, had issued a circular restricting the preparation of tableaux for the parade to just five empanelled firms. He questioned the transparency of the selection process and said no clear criteria had been disclosed.
According to Gohil, the firms permitted to design the tableaux were M/s Live Pixel Technology, M/s Siddheshwar Kanuga, M/s Visha Kanuga, M/s Sushant Khedkar and M/s Smart Graph Art Advertising. He pointed out that two of these firms are operated by Siddheshwar Kanuga and his wife, Visha Kanuga, raising concerns over potential favouritism.
The Congress leader further alleged that another communication issued on October 29 stated that the final approval of all tableaux would rest solely with Pankaj Modi. Gohil questioned this decision, claiming that the individual concerned has no professional background or recognised expertise in tableau design or evaluation.
Pankaj Modi, the brother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is a retired Class I officer from the Gujarat government’s information department, having entered government service in 1981 as a Class III employee. Gohil alleged that the Centre had effectively elevated him as the final authority for the tableaux, extending official facilities without adequate justification.
Raising objections, Gohil said the opposition was not questioning the Ekta Parade itself but the manner in which decisions were being taken. He alleged that the BJP was turning a national tribute into a partisan exercise by sidelining established professionals and adopting what he described as a closed-door selection process.
The Ekta Parade, officially known as the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade, is held annually on October 31 at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The event is organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs with support from the Gujarat government and includes performances by paramilitary and police contingents, cultural troupes from across the country and, on select occasions, aerial displays. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had flagged off the parade last year and shared images from the event on social media.
Seeking clarity from the government, Gohil posed a series of questions, including the basis on which only five firms were selected, the reason cited for shortage of time despite advance preparations, the inclusion of a husband-wife duo among the empanelled firms, and the rationale behind appointing a retired official with no known domain expertise as the final authority when several professional tableau designers are available nationwide.
Also Read: Sardar Patel’s Grandson To Attend The Iron Man of India’s 150th Birth Anniversary Celebrations https://www.vibesofindia.com/sardar-patels-grandson-to-attend-the-iron-man-of-indias-150th-birth-anniversary/
