Congress leaders mounted a sharp challenge to the Centre after Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge were placed in the third row during the Republic Day celebrations, arguing that the seating arrangement departed from established protocol and diminished the stature of constitutionally recognised offices.The party said the decision to seat Rahul Gandhi, who holds the position of Leader of Opposition under parliamentary rules, away from the front rows reserved for key constitutional functionaries amounted to a breach of democratic decorum. Mallikarjun Kharge, as president of the principal opposition party and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, was also seated in the same row, prompting questions from Congress leaders over whether established conventions were deliberately set aside.
Senior Congress figures said protocol for national ceremonies has long recognised the role of the Leader of Opposition as integral to parliamentary democracy, particularly after the post was formally restored following the 2024 general election. They argued that Republic Day, which commemorates the adoption of the Constitution, demands visible respect for institutional balance between the treasury benches and the opposition.
Party general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the seating decision sent an “unfortunate signal” about how dissenting voices were viewed, adding that the issue was not about personal prominence but about institutional respect. Other leaders echoed that view, saying the optics undermined the spirit of inclusiveness that Republic Day seeks to project.
The Centre has not issued a detailed public explanation on the seating arrangement. Officials familiar with ceremonial planning have, in the past, pointed to a mix of security considerations, precedence lists, and logistical constraints that shape seating at large state events. However, Congress leaders countered that such explanations cannot override codified protocol, especially when the roles involved are explicitly recognised by statute.
Under the Salary and Allowances of Leaders of Opposition in Parliament Act, the Leader of Opposition enjoys a status equivalent to that of a Cabinet minister for protocol purposes. Congress leaders said that, by convention, this status has translated into prominent seating at national ceremonies, alongside senior ministers and constitutional office holders. They argued that any deviation should be transparently explained to avoid perceptions of partisan intent.
The controversy has also revived a broader debate about the evolving role of the opposition in parliamentary practice. Since the formal recognition of the Leader of Opposition last year, opposition parties have pressed for clearer adherence to norms that place the office on par with senior executive roles. Constitutional scholars have noted that visibility at state ceremonies carries symbolic weight, reinforcing the idea that governance operates within a system of checks and balances.
Within the Congress, the issue has been framed as part of a pattern rather than an isolated lapse. Leaders cited earlier instances where opposition figures alleged they were sidelined at official functions or consultations. They argue that such actions, taken together, risk normalising a diminished public role for the opposition, even as Parliament relies on it for scrutiny and accountability.
Ruling party figures have privately dismissed the charge of deliberate slight, suggesting that seating plans are often finalised by protocol officials rather than political offices. They have also pointed out that Republic Day ceremonies involve hundreds of invitees, including foreign dignitaries, service chiefs, and award recipients, requiring complex arrangements. Congress leaders, however, maintain that complexity cannot justify what they see as a clear departure from precedent.
Public reaction has been mixed, with some commentators viewing the dispute as symbolic politics, while others argue that symbols matter deeply in constitutional democracies. Analysts note that Republic Day, more than any other civic event, is meant to foreground the equality of institutions and the supremacy of the Constitution over partisan considerations.