One of the integral parts of the Republic Day parade is the showcasing of tableaus from various states and ministries. This year too, on the occasion of 73rd Republic Day celebrations, a total of 21 tableaux, 12 of various states and Union Territories, nine ministries was displayed during the Republic Day Parade.
Goa, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Meghalaya, Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Gujarat were the 12 states whose creative tableaus were selected to be featured during the Republic Day celebrations. Besides, tableaus by 9 government ministries were also showcased during the parade.
And quite predictably, the tableaus had the audiences in awe. Even on social media, users started discussing the themes, the creativity, the message the tableaus displayed in the Republic Day celebrations conveyed. Inevitably, the discussion veered in the direction of which was the best tableau on display at the Republic Day parade.
Social Media users declare UP’s tableau as best, share picture of the tableau with water tap on it
A large number of social media users responded to the question stating that they found Uttar Pradesh’s tableau more than others and shared the picture of the tableau that showed water flowing from a tap placed above a container.
Tap reminds people of former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, referred by some as ‘tonti-chor’
The users claimed it was a tableau by Uttar Pradesh, taking a sly dig at former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who came to be known as ‘tonti-chor’ after taps(tontis) were found missing from his residence after he vacated the government-allotted bungalow in 2018.
In May 2018, after having a head-on fight with the state government over the allotted residence, Yadav was finally ordered by the Supreme Court to vacant the place and hand over the keys to the estate department. The following month, former-CM Akhilesh Yadav vacated his government allotted residence.
When the government officials entered his house later, they found it in a disarray, with imported tiles, air conditioners, centrally air conditioner fitting, electric switchboards and other items missing from the house.
All those expensive items that were missing from the government accommodation took a backside as the officials reported taps, aka tonti, were also missing from the bathrooms. Rest all “stolen items” were forgotten but the alleged petty act of “taking taps” stuck with the former CM. This was the point he earned the monicker ‘tonti chor’ that is still being used against him.
The existence of a water tap or tonti at the front section of the tableau instantly reminded social media users of former UP CM Akhilesh Yadav, who had earned the sobriquet of ‘tonti-chor’ after the government accommodation he was forced to vacate was found to have been stripped of water taps among other expensive embellishments.
Water tap Tableau not by Uttar Pradesh but by Jal Ministry
While the portrayal of tap instantly reminded netizens of Akhilesh Yadav, the tableau was not commissioned by the Uttar Pradesh government. In fact, it was Jal Ministry’s tableau that depicted the government’s achievement of providing clean tap water to homes of people living in Ladakh at an altitude of more than 13,000 feet in harsh winters.
The droplet leaning on the tap at the front represented the achievement of ‘Har Ghar Jal’ and community ownership of the village water supply. The middle section displayed the elation of the community receiving clean tap water in the comfort of their homes, schools and anganwadies. And the rear part of the tableau signified the challenging environment in freezing Ladakh, where providing clean water becomes all the more difficult because of lower temperatures and the inoperability of supply lines.
On the other hand, the tableau of Uttar Pradesh displayed the achievements scored by the state through skill development and employment through One District One Product. Development in the Kashi Vishwanath corridor was also exhibited.