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The Congress on Thursday said that making Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi "sit in the fifth row" at the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort shows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "pettiness" and lack of respect for democratic traditions.
The opposition party's attack came after sources involved in organising the event said all seating arrangements were done "as per the table of precedence". They said it was decided this year that "Paris Olympics medal winners" would be honoured as special guests at the Independence Day celebrations.
They said it was decided this year that "Paris Olympics medal winners" would be honoured as special guests at the Independence Day celebrations.
Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said, "Modi ji, it's about time you wake up to the new reality post-June 4th. The arrogance with which you relegated Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi ji to the last rows during the Independence Day ceremony shows that you have not learned your lesson."
"The defence ministry's feeble explanation that it was out of 'respect for Olympians' doesn't cut much ice. While Olympians deserve every bit of respect, I wonder how Cabinet ministers like Amit Shah or Nirmala Sitharaman ji get front row seats ahead of them," he said.
According to protocol, the Leader of Opposition of both Houses must also be seated in the front row but the seats for Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge were in the fifth row, he said.
"This was not only an insult to the post of LoP or Rahul ji; it was an insult to the people of India, whose voice Rahul ji represents in Parliament. It's amazing how uncomfortable the truth can make some people -- so much so that they'd rather rearrange the seating than face it," Venugopal said in a post on X.
Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate claimed that Modi was a person with a "petty mindset" and he kept giving proof of that himself.
"It is futile to expect big things from small-minded people. Narendra Modi certainly showed his frustration by making Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi sit in the fifth row during the Independence Day celebrations but this does not make any difference to Rahul Gandhi and he will keep raising issues of the people as he has been doing," she said in a video statement on X.
"However, it shows that you and your government do not have any respect for democracy, democratic traditions and the Leader of Opposition," he said.
Shrinate said the rank of the Leader of Opposition was that of a Cabinet minister and the ministers of the government were sitting in the first row.
"Not only Rahul Gandhi was made to sit in the fifth row but Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's designated place was also in the fifth row," she said.
"A foolish statement has come from the defence ministry that 'this was done as we wanted to honour Olympians'. They should be honoured and so should Vinesh Phogat but did Amit Shah, JP Nadda, S Jaishankar and Nirmala Sitharaman not want to honour them?" she asked.
The Leader of Opposition is important because he makes the government accountable and puts it in the dock by raising people's issues, Shrinate said.
"So these people with a petty mindset do not care about democracy and democratic traditions," she alleged.
The truth is that Modi and his ministers feel uncomfortable with Gandhi as he asks questions of them, she claimed.
"Whether Rahul Gandhi sits in the fifth row or the fiftieth, he will remain a people's leader -- but when will you people stop doing such dirty acts?" she said on X.
Congress leader Vivek Tankha said in a post on X, "Why is MoD (ministry of defence) acting so petty!! Rahul Gandhi, the LoP Lok Sabha, seated on 4th row.
LoP is higher than any Cabinet minister. He is next to prime minister in Lok Sabha."
"Rajnath Singh ji, you can't allow MoD to politicise national functions!! Not expected from you Rajnath ji," he added.
Gandhi was seen sitting behind a few rows of seats, which were occupied by members of the Indian contingent, which took part in the recently-held Olympic Games in Paris, at the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.