Congress leaders stayed away from the Independence Day celebrations at Delhi’s Red Fort for the second consecutive year, citing what party sources described as protocol and other reasons.
The report said Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge—both accorded the status of Union Cabinet ministers—did not attend the official ceremony, despite a convention that they participate in state functions.
Among the reasons cited by Congress functionaries was Kharge’s age and difficulty in walking long distances or climbing steps. BJP leaders, however, questioned this explanation, pointing out that Kharge is seen regularly using stairways in Parliament.
The absence has also been linked to a seating dispute from the 2024 Independence Day event, when Rahul Gandhi was reportedly allotted a second-row seat and the party alleged insult. The Defence Ministry had then said front-row seats were reserved for Olympic medal-winning athletes, but Congress did not accept the explanation, and political observers say the issue continues to be cited for subsequent boycotts.
