Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi were absent from the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort on Saturday, marking the second consecutive year that the two senior Congress leaders did not attend the event.
Their absence came as relations between the Congress-led Opposition and the BJP government remain tense, following repeated confrontations during the recently concluded Monsoon Session of Parliament.
Why did Kharge and Rahul Gandhi skip the event?
Kharge and Gandhi did not attend the ceremony where Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the Tricolour and delivered his Independence Day address.
The development is notable because both leaders hold key constitutional and political positions. Gandhi is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, while Kharge heads the Congress.
Their absence also follows a controversy over Gandhi’s seating arrangement at the previous Independence Day celebrations. He had been seated towards the back at the Red Fort despite his position as Leader of the Opposition. The Opposition had criticised the arrangement, while the Defence Ministry said the seating plan had been adjusted to accommodate Olympians.
Congress-BJP tensions remain high
The latest development comes shortly after a stormy Monsoon Session of Parliament, which ended on August 13.
The government and Opposition repeatedly clashed over several issues, with both sides accusing each other of disrupting parliamentary proceedings. The Congress, Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party also stayed away from Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla’s customary tea party after the session ended.
According to the information provided, 12 bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation related to paper leaks.
What did PM Modi say in his Independence Day speech?
Despite the political tensions, Modi’s address from the Red Fort focused largely on India’s development goals and his vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
The Prime Minister called for 33% representation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies and highlighted the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.
He also outlined his “Shakti Ki Saptadhara” vision, covering manufacturing, agriculture and food production, technology and innovation, Gati Shakti, defence, the green and blue economy, and India’s soft power.
Modi further spoke about strengthening civil defence and highlighted the growing role of women in areas such as the armed forces, aviation, sports and STEM.
He also criticised what he described as “Dimagi Naxals”, while praising citizens for contributing to India’s development.
