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Republic Day celebrations turn political over Op Sindoor and Padma Awards

In this special edition of To The Point, the programme spotlights the display of ‘Operation Sindoor’ at the Kartavya Path parade and the conferment of the Ashok Chakra on Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla during the Republic Day celebrations.

A debate between BJP leader Rakesh Sinha and Congress’s Vivek Tankha examines key political flashpoints, including the seating arrangement for Opposition leaders and claims that the Constitution is “under threat.” The discussion also takes up allegations of the ‘electionisation’ of the Padma Awards 2026.

Data cited by Praveen Chakravarty shows that 37 per cent of the 131 Padma awardees — including prominent figures such as Mammootty and the late Dharmendra — hail from five states headed for assembly polls, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu. While the Opposition labels the civilian honours as tools for electoral messaging, BJP leader Khushboo Sundar defends the awards as recognition for long-neglected contributors to society.

Overall, the show presents a measured analysis of how the Constitution and national honours have emerged as central themes in India’s political discourse ahead of crucial state elections.

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