NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday accused the Centre of violating established protocol and undermining democratic decorum after Chief of Opposition within the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge had been seated within the third row through the Republic Day celebrations. The incident has triggered sharp reactions from senior get together leaders.Main the criticism, Congress chief Randeep Singh Surjewala questioned whether or not the seating association met constitutional and institutional norms. In a publish on X, Surjewala mentioned the therapy mirrored the federal government’s mindset moderately than protocol.“Does such therapy of the Chief of the Opposition within the nation meet the requirements of any decorum, custom, and protocol? This solely reveals the frustration of a authorities suffering from an inferiority advanced. In a democracy, variations will persist, however this therapy meted out to Shri Rahul Gandhi is unacceptable,” he wrote. Different Congress leaders echoed related considerations, arguing that the choice diminished the dignity of constitutional workplaces. Congress MP Manickam Tagore mentioned the difficulty went past seating and mirrored the federal government’s political strategy.“Till 2014, opposition leaders like Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley and L Ok Advani at all times sat there. It is a very low degree of politics by the federal government. Opposition leaders being insulted on Republic Day is unacceptable. Republic Day is the day after we all ought to be united and rejoice India’s achievements that yr,” he mentioned. Senior Congress chief Rashid Alvi mentioned each Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge held key constitutional positions and deserved front-row seating.“Rahul Gandhi is the Chief of the Opposition within the Lok Sabha, and Mallikarjun Kharge isn’t solely the Congress president but in addition the Chief of the Opposition within the Rajya Sabha. They need to have been given seats within the entrance row. The BJP is continually enjoying with the dignity of Congress leaders,” he mentioned. Congress chief Kumari Selja linked the controversy to a broader disregard for constitutional norms.“Protocols maintain nice significance. The nation takes pleasure within the Republic Day parade, the place we rejoice our democracy and the republic,” she mentioned, alleging that the federal government repeatedly sought to belittle the workplace of the Chief of Opposition.
Protocol and seating norms
The Leaders of Opposition within the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are positioned alongside union cupboard ministers within the official Desk of Priority, which governs protocol at nationwide capabilities similar to Republic Day.In line with the Warrant of Priority issued by the President’s Secretariat, seating preparations at state and ceremonial events are determined based mostly on constitutional rank and workplace and never political affiliation.The Order of Priority is a protocol record that applies to state and ceremonial events, together with nationwide occasions such because the Republic Day celebrations and has no software within the day-to-day functioning of the federal government.Underneath Article 7 of the Desk of Priority, the Leaders of Opposition within the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are positioned alongside Union Cupboard ministers, after the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Chief Justice of India and former Prime Ministers.
BJP hits again
Rejecting the Congress’s allegations, the BJP mentioned the seating association on the Republic Day celebrations was determined strictly based on established protocol. BJP nationwide spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, in a publish on X, launched a pointy assault on the Congress, accusing it of putting entitlement and family-centric politics above constitutional norms.“As soon as once more Congress places entitlement & ego, parivar and place above individuals. They really feel parivar tantra is above sanvidhan tantra. Seating is determined by a set format – Warrant or Desk of Priority. One can see even senior Cupboard ministers round and even behind Rahul Gandhi however none of them made it a problem,” Poonawalla wrote. He additionally questioned Rahul Gandhi’s attendance at main constitutional occasions prior to now.“Rahul thinks he’s the proprietor of India? By the best way why does he bunk vital applications. The place was he throughout VP oath? CJI oath? I-Day program?” BJP’s nationwide spokesperson additional wrote.The BJP has beforehand criticised Gandhi for skipping the oath-taking of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Vice President CP Radhakrishnan, alleging that such absences confirmed disregard for constitutional events. The get together has additionally flagged Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge’s absence from the Independence Day celebrations on the Pink Fort final yr, although each leaders had issued Independence Day messages on social media.
