# Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Skip Red Fort Independence Day Event Again 2026-08-15T03:41:31+00:00 | Politics | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi did not attend Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Saturday, repeating their absence from last year’s event, NDTV and Times Now reported. Kharge instead hoisted the national flag at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi, where Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi were also present. Rahul Gandhi had attended the 2024 ceremony but was seated in the second-last row, prompting a protocol controversy. Defence Secretary R K Singh had said this year’s seating would follow the Table of Precedence. The absence came days after a 25-day Monsoon Session that recorded 19% business in the Lok Sabha and 39% in the Rajya Sabha, with the government and Opposition blaming each other for the deadlock. ## Coverage - ndtv.com - timesnownews.com Tags: Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, Narendra Modi, Rahul Gandhi, Red Fort Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/kharge-rahul-gandhi-miss-modis-independence-day-event-again/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/kharge-rahul-gandhi-miss-modis-independence-day-event-again/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.