Congress Slams Centre Over Seating Of Rahul, Kharge At Republic Day Parade

Congress General Secretary K C Venugopal on Tuesday launched a sharp attack on the Modi government over the seating arrangement for Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge during the Republic Day parade, alleging that it amounted to disrespecting constitutional protocol.

In a post on X, Venugopal said the BJP had “destroyed the ethos of the Republic” by ignoring established traditions and insulting the Leaders of Opposition. He pointed out that both Kharge and Rahul Gandhi enjoy Cabinet rank by virtue of their constitutional positions but were seated in the back rows during the official ceremony.

“What they did by ignoring constitutional protocol and insulting the Leaders of Opposition is a warning sign for our democracy,” Venugopal wrote, calling the move politically motivated.

He said that historically, Leaders of Opposition have been accorded front-row seating, consistent with the importance of their posts. “Today, the Opposition represents 65% of India’s population, yet was kept away from its rightful place of prominence,” he added.

Venugopal accused the Prime Minister of political immaturity and alleged that constitutional norms were violated due to “petty political outlook”. He stressed that the issue was not about individuals but reflected the ruling party’s alleged disregard for democratic traditions and constitutional values.