Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi skip I-Day celebrations for 2nd year
What's the story
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort for the second consecutive year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the national celebrations on August 15. The absence comes amid a continuing dispute over Gandhi's seating arrangement during the 2024 event, where he was controversially seated in the fifth row, sparking allegations of insult from Congress.
Seating dispute
Controversy over Gandhi's seating arrangement
The controversy over Gandhi's seating arrangement in the 2024 Independence Day celebrations has been a bone of contention between the government and Congress.
Despite being the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition with Cabinet rank, he was seated in the fifth row.
The Defence Ministry justified this decision by saying that it was done to accommodate Olympians present at the venue.
Ongoing dispute
Congress questions treatment of senior leaders
The Congress has repeatedly questioned the treatment of its senior leaders at national ceremonial occasions.
The party had also raised objections to seating arrangements during Republic Day celebrations, where Gandhi and Kharge were seated in the third row.
The Defence Ministry had maintained that these arrangements were made as per the Table of Precedence, which determines seating based on constitutional position and office rather than political affiliation.
Parliamentary clashes
Tensions between government and opposition during monsoon session
The latest absence of Kharge and Gandhi from the Independence Day event comes after heightened tensions between the government and Opposition during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
The session, which ended on Thursday, was marred by repeated clashes over its functioning.
It started with students marching on Parliament on July 20 and saw 12 bills being passed with detailed discussion only on one legislation, the anti-paper leak law.