Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jan 27: The Congress on Monday accused the BJP government of insulting the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, by seating them in the third row during the Republic Day parade at Kartavya Path.

Sharing images of their leaders seated in the back rows, Congress leaders raised questions over the “protocol mess-up” and propriety. Initially, Kharge was seen seated in the third row alongside Rahul Gandhi, before being moved to the front row next to former Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar.

Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, posting on X, said, “Does such treatment of the leader of the opposition in the country meet the standards of any decorum, tradition, and protocol? This only reveals the frustration of a government plagued by an inferiority complex.” Vivek Tankha also shared images, terming it a “sheer lack of protocol and grace” and said, “Both Kharge ji and Rahul ji have a special place in Indian politics, and making them sit in the back rows is not an insult to them but to the nation.”

Manickam Tagore compared the seating to 2014, highlighting that former opposition leader L K Advani had been seated in the front row, questioning why such a protocol lapse occurred now.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala defended the arrangement, saying the seating was as per the Warrant of Precedence and accused Congress of placing “entitlement and ego” above the people. He also questioned Rahul Gandhi’s absence from key events like the Vice President and Chief Justice oath-taking ceremonies.