New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Saturday criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi for remaining absent from the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort over the seating arrangement protocol controversy, calling their decision a “childish act” and saying it did not befit the positions they hold.
Reacting to the absence of the two senior Congress leaders from the celebrations led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh said attending the Independence Day ceremony was an important national responsibility and argued that staying away could affect how the public viewed them.
“I think this is a childish act. It does not befit the position they hold, especially when the country is celebrating Independence Day. If you do not attend such an important occasion, people will not view you favourably.”
Singh also invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to argue that leaders of the Opposition had historically attended Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
“Today, Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister, but when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was in the Opposition, he too used to attend the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.”
The minister’s remarks came after Kharge and Rahul Gandhi remained absent from the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year.
The issue of Rahul Gandhi’s seating arrangement had become a point of controversy during the 2024 Independence Day celebrations. Despite being the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and holding Cabinet ministerial status, Gandhi was seated in the second-last row at the ceremony. Under established protocol, the Leader of Opposition is generally seated in the front row during important ceremonial functions.
The Opposition had strongly objected to the seating arrangement at the time, stating that it was disrespectful to the Congress leader and contrary to established protocol.
The Defence Ministry, which was responsible for organising the event, however, said the seating plan had been modified to accommodate Olympians attending the ceremony.
–IANS
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