New Delhi: A political controversy erupted during the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Thursday (August 15) over the seating arrangement of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who was placed in the fifth row. The Congress party took strong exception to the move, accusing the central government of deliberately disrespecting the Leader of the Opposition (LoP).
The Ministry of Defense issued a statement defending the seating arrangement, citing the need to “honor Olympians” by placing them in prominent rows. However, the Congress party remains unconvinced, viewing the incident as a deliberate snub. Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express his discontent, directly targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“This was not just an insult to the post of the Leader of Opposition but to the people of India, whose voice Rahul Gandhi raises in Parliament,” Venugopal stated. He added, “PM Narendra Modi, now is the time to accept the new reality after June 4. The arrogance with which you sent Lok Sabha leader Rahul Gandhi to the last row during the Independence Day celebrations shows that you have not learned your lesson.”
Venugopal further questioned the government’s reasoning, pointing out that while Olympians certainly deserve respect, cabinet ministers like Amit Shah and Nirmala Sitharaman were seated ahead of them. He asserted that as per protocol, the Leaders of the Opposition from both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha should be seated in the front rows. However, both Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were relegated to the fifth row.
“This was an insult not just to Rahul Gandhi, but to the people of India whose voices he amplifies in Parliament,” Venugopal said. “It’s astonishing how uncomfortable the truth can make some people, to the extent that they would rather rearrange the seating than confront it.”
The incident has added fuel to the ongoing political tension between the ruling BJP and the Congress party. With the 2024 general elections on the horizon, the controversy over the seating arrangement at such a significant event highlights the deepening political divide.
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