During the Independence Day celebrations at Delhi's Red Fort, the Congress party has expressed strong discontent, accusing the government of disrespecting Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha. Rahul was seated in the second-to-last row among Olympic athletes, which the Congress claims is a deliberate snub.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate criticized the seating arrangement, pointing out that, by protocol, a leader of Rahul Gandhi's stature, equivalent to a cabinet minister, should have been seated in the front row. She accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of pettiness, stating, "Expecting big gestures from small-minded people is pointless." Shrinate added that while Modi may try to undermine Rahul, it doesn't affect him, and he will continue raising the issues that matter to the people.
Congress leader Vivek Tankha also expressed anger, particularly targeting Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, accusing him of politicizing a national event. He emphasized that the seating arrangement disrespects democratic traditions and shows a lack of regard for the Leader of the Opposition.
Notably, this was the first time since 2014 that the Leader of the Opposition attended the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
