Third row seats for Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul; Congress says Leaders of Opposition insulted
The Hindu
Congress accuses BJP of insulting opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge by seating them in the third row during celebrations.
The Congress on Monday (January 26, 2026) accused the BJP government of insulting the Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, by seating them in the third row during the Republic Day parade event at Kartavya Path.
Sharing pictures of their leaders seated in the back rows during the ceremony, several Congress leaders raised questions over the "protocol mess-up" and propriety.
Congress chief Kharge was first seen seated in the third row along with Rahul Gandhi. Later, he was moved to the front row next to former Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar.
Sharing the picture of Rahul Gandhi and Mr. Kharge seated in the third row, Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said on X, "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.
"In a democracy, differences will persist, but this treatment meted out to Shri Rahul Gandhi is unacceptable," Mr. Surjewala said in his post in Hindi.
Congress leader Vivek Tankha too shared the picture on X, saying, "This is sheer lack of protocol and grace !! May be too much to expect in present times !! #RahulGandhi #Khargeji".
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Among the spectators was S. Laxmi, who has lived in Delhi for 35 years and hails from Tamil Nadu. Spotting performers in traditional attire, she broke into conversation in Tamil. “It’s a joy to converse in our own language,” she said and asked a dancer where he lived in Tamil Nadu. After exchanging greetings with the spectator, the dancer, Md. Aslam, a performer from Tiruchirappalli, said the troupe had rehearsed for nearly 20 days for a performance that lasted only a few minutes. “It is a great feeling to perform in front of national and international dignitaries,” he said.