The Congress, on Monday, came out all guns blazing against the Centre, claiming that the BJP government insulted the leaders of the 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.
Several Congress leaders shared the pictures of their top leaders seated in the back rows during the ceremony and raised questions over the "protocol mess-up" and propriety.
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.
Congress leader Kumari Selja claimed that the BJP government has no faith in the republic or the constitution.
"It is evident how, time and again, in one way or another, this government tries to belittle the leader of opposition and the dignity of his position, whether in the House or outside. Protocols hold great significance. The country takes pride in the Republic Day parade. We celebrate our democracy and its republic," she said.
Sharing the picture of Rahul Gandhi and 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," 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".
"The way opposition leaders were treated during the Republic Day celebrations, I don't expect anything better from the party currently in power in today's environment. It's unfortunate that democracy gets hurt over these petty actions of the ruling party," Tankha said in another post.
BJP counters claims
The BJP claimed that the Congress has once again put entitlement and 'parivar' above people and asked why Gandhi had earlier skipped important events like the oath-taking of the vice president and the Chief Justice of India.
"Rahul Gandhi isn't bothered about why he wasn't sitting in the front row. He's bothered that he was caught using his phone in front of the entire nation when the whole country was celebrating the might of the BrahMos missile. This shows the country that Rahul Gandhi is an insincere politician, a leader who is concerned about which row he sits in, but not about the honour and glory of the nation advancing at the Kartavya Path," claimed BJP leader Pradeep Bhandari.
Bhandari alleged that for Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party's politics come first, not the honour and respect of the country.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said on X, "Once again Congress puts entitlement and ego, parivar and position above people".
"They feel Parivar Tantra is above Sanvidhan Tantra. Seating is decided by a set format - Warrant or Table of Precedence. One can see even senior cabinet ministers around or even behind Rahul Gandhi but none of them made it an issue," Poonawala said in his post.
"Rahul thinks he is the owner of India? By the way, why does he bunk important programmes? Where was he during the VP Oath? CJI Oath? I-Day programme?" the BJP leader asked.
'At Home' controversy
Meanwhile, the BJP also claimed that Rahul Gandhi insulted people of the Northeast by not wearing the traditional Patka at the Rashtrapati Bhavan for the 'At Home' reception, which was focused on the culture, art and cuisine of the Northeastern states.
Taking to social media, BJP leader Amit Malviya said "From the Prime Minister to E.U. leaders and foreign envoys, all guests wore the traditional North-Eastern Patka as a mark of respect and inclusion.
Only Rahul Gandhi chose not to wear it, despite being reminded twice by President Droupadi Murmu herself.
Respect for India’s diversity isn’t selective. It’s a choice."