Congress Leaders Skip Independence Day Celebrations for Second Consecutive Year
New Delhi : Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were absent from the Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second year in a row, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the national ceremony on August 15.
Their absence comes amid continued tensions between the ruling BJP and opposition parties following a contentious Monsoon Session of Parliament, which concluded earlier this week.
Rahul Gandhi’s Absence Brings Back 2024 Seating Controversy
Rahul Gandhi’s absence also brings back memories of the controversy surrounding the 2024 Independence Day celebrations. That year, Gandhi attended the Red Fort ceremony but was seated several rows behind the front, despite being the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and holding Cabinet-rank status.
The seating arrangement triggered a political dispute. Opposition parties described it as disrespectful to the Leader of Opposition, while the Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said changes had been made to accommodate Olympic medal winners and other guests.
According to established protocol, the Leader of Opposition is generally seated in the front row during important ceremonial events.
This year, however, both Gandhi and Kharge stayed away from the event altogether.
Absence Comes After a Stormy Parliament Session
The decision comes shortly after a particularly confrontational Monsoon Session of Parliament. The session witnessed repeated disruptions and disagreements between the government and opposition over several issues.
The session began with student protests near Parliament on July 20 and ended on August 13 with both sides blaming each other for the limited legislative productivity.
Twelve bills were passed during the session, although detailed discussion was reportedly held on only one major piece of legislation concerning examination and paper-leak issues.
The political differences were also visible outside Parliament. The Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, reportedly stayed away from the traditional tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the House was adjourned sine die.
Political Tensions Continue
The absence of the Congress leadership from the Independence Day function is likely to add another layer to the already strained relationship between the government and opposition.
Independence Day is traditionally viewed as a national occasion that brings leaders across political parties together, regardless of their differences. The Red Fort ceremony is attended by senior political leaders, government officials, diplomats and other distinguished guests.
With the Prime Minister delivering the national address from the Red Fort, the absence of the Congress president and the Leader of Opposition has therefore drawn attention.
At the same time, the Congress has continued to strongly challenge several government policies and decisions, while the BJP has accused the opposition of disrupting parliamentary proceedings.
The latest development highlights how political disagreements between the government and opposition continue to extend beyond Parliament, even on occasions of national importance.
News source: Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.
