Now Reading: Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Skip Red Fort Independence Day Event Again
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Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Skip Red Fort Independence Day Event Again
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…
The Story in Brief
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.
The Indian Opinion
The easy narratives are that the absence proves either contempt for a national occasion or justified resistance to the government. Neither conclusion follows from attendance alone. Kharge marked the day at the Congress office, while Gandhi issued a message invoking freedom, truth, non-violence and the Constitution. The sharper concern is institutional: Parliament’s low productivity and repeated protocol disputes. The next useful test is whether both sides restore meaningful business in the next session, rather than trade charges over ceremonies.
Sources (2): ndtv.com, timesnownews.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
