By Our Correspondent in Bhubaneswar, January 26, 2015 ###

People in Odisha on Monday were shocked to find that the state tableau for this year’s Republic Day parade at New Delhi attended by chief guest US President Barack Obama.

This is fourth time; the state tableau did not find a place in the parade even as the state is known across the world for its rich culture and heritage. The central selection committee did not find the Odisha Tableau fit enough to participate on the occasion in 2010, 2012, 2014 and this year.

Odisha information and public relations minister, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak feigned ignorance about the reasons for rejection of the state tableau saying, ‘We will investigate into the lapses that prevented Odisha tableau showcased on the Republic Day”.

Former Congress MP Pradeep Majhi said in a tweet: “Wondering why Odisha didn’t send a tableau, because it’s so easy just put plaster of Paris Naveen (Patnaik) sleeping on a bed of notes.”

Sources said, for the past six years only one artist is being hired to conceptualize and design the tableau. “Odisha is globally known for its uniqueness in art and cultural heritage. May be there were technical deficiencies in our designing of the Tableau. The government should involve all artists to make such tableau that bring glory to Odisha”,   Padma Vibhushan Raghunath Mohapatra, a doyen of stone sculpture told a private TV channel.

Majority of non-BJP ruled states like Bihar, West Bengal, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, were among the 13 states that went unrepresented in showcasing their heritage through a tableau during the Republic Day parade, official sources said.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Sajan Sharma told Bizodisha, “Odisha had failed to fulfill the criteria set up by the central committee to be eligible for its tableau to showcase during the Republic Day parade.

However, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) tried to shift the blame to the central government for rejecting the Odisha tableau.

“The reason behind the rejection of the tableau is not clear. But it should not be done in a federal country. It is unfortunate,” said BJD spokesperson Ravinarayan Nanda.

BJD Lok Sabha MP Baijayant Panda said in a tweet that it was disappointing.

For this year’s Republic Day, the proposed theme of the tableau was stone carving.

“We failed to showcase our culture and heritage during the parade as no one is interested in sending the right kind of proposal to meet the requirement for the selection,” one official said on condition of anonymity.