New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and his Rajya Sabha counterpart Mallikarjun Kharge were absent from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day address at the Red Fort on Friday, August 15, inviting criticism from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The ruling party called the absence a sign of “disrespect” to the Prime Minister’s office, the national flag, and this year’s celebration theme, Operation Sindoor.
BJP Questions Congress Leaders’ Absence
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, in a post on X, accused Rahul Gandhi of boycotting a “national celebration” due to political opposition to the Prime Minister, alleging it amounted to “Desh & Sena Virodh”. The party also linked the absence to what it views as the Congress’s repeated opposition to Operation Sindoor, citing Gandhi’s earlier remarks questioning the number of Indian aircraft lost and the role of foreign mediation in the operation’s ceasefire.
This year’s event invitations carried Operation Sindoor as the official theme. The BJP argued that the Congress leadership’s absence gave the impression of undermining the armed forces and emboldening Pakistan.
Congress Shares Celebration Photos From Indira Bhavan
The Congress released photographs of Gandhi and Kharge unfurling the national flag at the party headquarters in Indira Bhawan, New Delhi. A live broadcast of the ceremony was also shared on Rahul Gandhi’s official X account.
Congress sources pointed to past disagreements over the Independence Day seating arrangements as a factor in the decision. In 2024, Gandhi attended the Red Fort event but was seated behind other dignitaries, leading to internal objections. The Defence Ministry later clarified that front-row seats were reserved for Olympians being honoured.
The Congress also referred to a pattern of abstention from what it sees as politicised government functions. The party had earlier skipped the groundbreaking and inauguration of the new Parliament building, as well as the Ram Mandir consecration ceremony in Ayodhya, saying these were BJP-led political events rather than inclusive national occasions.
Party leaders further objected to parts of the Prime Minister’s speech referencing the Emergency and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, which they said were political points that detracted from the non-partisan nature of Independence Day.
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