On Thursday, August 15, the Congress party expressed strong discontent with the Narendra Modi government after their Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, was seated in the fifth row during the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort. The event, where Prime Minister Modi delivered his address to the nation, saw Rahul Gandhi positioned behind several Olympic medalists, sparking a heated reaction from Congress leaders.
The Seating Controversy
Traditionally, the Leader of Opposition, a position equivalent in rank to a Cabinet Minister, is seated in the front row at such national events. This seating arrangement is based on the table of precedence, a protocol that determines the hierarchy and seating order of government officials and dignitaries. However, this year, the front row at the Red Fort was occupied by key figures including Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Amit Shah, and S Jaishankar, among others.
In contrast, Rahul Gandhi, dressed in a simple white kurta-pajama, was seen seated behind Indian athletes who had won medals at the Paris Olympics 2024. The star athletes, including shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, as well as hockey players like captain Harmanpreet Singh and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh, were given seats ahead of the senior Congress leader.
Congress’ Response
The unusual seating arrangement did not go unnoticed. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate was quick to criticize Prime Minister Modi, accusing him of having a “petty mindset.” In a video statement on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Shrinate remarked, “It is futile to expect big things from small-minded people. Narendra Modi certainly showed his frustration by making Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi sit in the fifth row during the Independence Day celebrations, but this does not make any difference to Rahul Gandhi and he will keep raising issues of the people as he has been doing.”
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Shrinate further added that this move by the government demonstrated a lack of respect for democracy and the position of the Leader of Opposition. Other Congress leaders echoed her sentiments, with Vivek Tankha, a senior leader, questioning the decision on social media. Tankha posted, “Why is MOD (Ministry of Defence) acting so petty? Rahul Gandhi, the LoP Lok Sabha seated in the 4th row. LoP is higher than any Cabinet minister. He is next to the Prime Minister in Lok Sabha. Rajnath Singh ji, you can’t allow MOD to politicize national functions! Not expected from you Rajnath ji.”
Government’s Clarification
In response to the uproar, sources from the Defence Ministry clarified that Rahul Gandhi was moved back to make room for the Olympic medal winners in the front rows. This explanation, however, was met with further criticism from the Congress party. Supriya Shrinate dismissed the clarification as “foolish,” arguing that while the Olympians certainly deserved honor, so did the Leader of Opposition. She questioned why other Union ministers like Amit Shah, J P Nadda, and S Jaishankar were not similarly moved if the intention was to prioritize the athletes.
The Significance of the LoP Position
This controversy holds particular significance as it marks the first time since 2014 that a Leader of Opposition was present at the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort. In both the 2014 and 2019 general elections, the Congress party had won only 44 and 52 seats, respectively, in the 543-member Lok Sabha. This was below the threshold of 10 percent of seats required to nominate an MP as the LoP. However, in the 2024 general elections, the Congress party, as part of the INDIA bloc, secured 99 seats, enabling Rahul Gandhi to be nominated as the LoP.
The previous NDA government under former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had allocated a front-row seat to the then LoP, Sonia Gandhi, showing a precedent of respect for the position.
Conclusion
The seating controversy at the Red Fort has added another layer to the ongoing political tensions between the Congress and the ruling BJP. The incident has not only sparked criticism from the Congress but also raised questions about the government’s approach to protocol and respect for democratic traditions. As the debate continues, it remains to be seen how this issue will impact the broader political landscape in the lead-up to future national events and elections.
