The Haryana government on Monday announced a last-minute change in the Republic Day programme of Chief Minister Manohar Lal and several of his Cabinet colleagues reshuffling the districts where they were earlier scheduled to unfurl the national flag. Mr. Lal, earlier slated to preside over the Republic Day celebrations at Panipat, will now be the chief guest at Panchkula.
In an unprecedented move, the Haryana government came out with a revised list of chief guests for the Republic Day function at several districts almost two weeks after the initial list on January 8. Though no reason was assigned for the revision in the list, the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues programmes to the districts hit by the ongoing farmers agitation over farm laws have been cancelled.
A query to Chief Secretary Vijai Vardhan in this connection did not elicit any response.
Panipat, where Mr. Lal was earlier slated to unfurl the national flag, is also seen as one of the districts hit by the agitation. Mr. Vardhan will now be the chief guest at Panipat function.
Besides Mr. Lal, the programme for the unfurling of the Tricolour by his Cabinet colleagues — Agriculture Minister J.P. Dalal, Archaeology & Museums Minister Anoop Dhanak and Women & Child Development Minster Kamlesh Dhanda — at Rohtak, Sirsa and Fatehabad were also cancelled. As per the revised list, the respective Deputy Commissioners of the three districts will now be the chief guests at the Republic Day functions at these places.
While Mr. Dalal will now preside over the function at Rewari, Mr. Dhanak and Ms. Dhanda will unfurl the national flag at Faridabad and Nuh respectively.
