Congress-BJP Political Row Erupts Over Republic Day Seating Arrangement
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi attended the Republic Day parade and the subsequent 'At Home' reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan. However, the event was overshadowed by a political controversy after the Congress party criticized the government for not offering their leaders front row seats during the parade.
Congress Alleges Constitutional Insult
The Congress party expressed strong disapproval, accusing the BJP-led government of disrespecting the opposition. Party MP Vivek Tankha voiced his concerns, stating, "I was shocked. Opposition used to be treated with respect. BJP leaders of opposition were never treated in this manner. By seating Kharge and Rahul in the back, you are insulting the Constitution."
Tankha further emphasized that expecting grace and respect for the opposition from the BJP government might be too much, suggesting that such behavior is inherent only to parties that have fought for the country's freedom and the Constitution.
BJP Counters with Accusations of Entitlement
In response, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla hit back, asserting that Congress and Rahul Gandhi suffer from a sense of entitlement. He argued that they believe VVIP treatment for themselves is more important than the country. Poonawalla clarified that the seating arrangement follows a set format based on the order of precedence.
He also pointed out that Union minister Arjun Ram Meghwal was seated behind Rahul Gandhi, indicating that the arrangement was not targeted. Additionally, Poonawalla recalled instances from the past when BJP leaders, including Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, were given back row seats during the Congress-led UPA government's tenure.
Historical Context of Seating Controversies
This is not the first time that seating arrangements at national events have sparked controversy. In 2018, Congress raised objections when Rahul Gandhi was seated in one of the fourth to sixth rows instead of the front row during a parade. Similarly, during the 2024 Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort, a controversy erupted after Gandhi was placed in the second-last row alongside Olympic medalists.
BJP leaders also reminded that in 2009, veteran politician L.K. Advani was seated in the back row at a Republic Day function, highlighting that such arrangements are not unprecedented.
Additional Allegations and Demands
The political spat extended beyond the seating issue. Poonawalla accused Rahul Gandhi of insulting the North-East by allegedly refusing to wear a 'patka' offered by President Droupadi Murmu to guests at the 'At Home' reception. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma supported this claim, stating that while everyone from the President and the Prime Minister to foreign dignitaries wore the 'patka' with respect, Gandhi alone stood apart.
Sarma argued that this action reinforced a perception of disregard towards the North-East and demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi. The Congress party, however, dismissed these allegations as "petty politicking" by the BJP, maintaining that their focus was on the broader issue of respecting constitutional norms and opposition leaders.
The exchange underscores the ongoing tensions between the two major political parties, with both sides leveraging the incident to highlight their respective narratives on governance, respect, and political conduct.
