The absence of top two leadersof the Congress – Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge – from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence
Day event at Red Fort has stirred a row, with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) already making it an issue. The BJP has called it a “disrespect” to both the PM’s position, the flag, and more importantly, to the ‘Operation Sindoor’ which was the theme of the August 15 celebrations today. Even as the controversy was brewing, the Congress released pictures of both Gandhi and Kharge unfurling the national flag at the Congress headquarters in Indira Bhawan.
LIVE: Independence Day | Flag Hoisting | Indira Bhawan, New Delhi https://t.co/eOnN5va33q
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 15, 2025
As an LoP, Gandhi had attended the Red Fort event last year, but it soon snowballed into a huge controversy. Many in the Congress objected to the fact that disrespect was shown to the LoP by making him sit at the back while other ministers sat in the front row.
The Defence Ministry, which oversees the seating and other arrangements, clarified that the LoP was not targeted and the front rows were reserved for the Olympians who were being felicitated.
It’s not the first time that Congress has boycotted or stayed away from the PM’s events. Like, it did not attend the ‘bhoomi pujan’ for the new Parliament building nor its inauguration. The Congress, despite an invite, skipped the Ram Mandir Pran Pratishtha on grounds that it was a BJP event and had nothing to do with religious feelings.
Congress spokesperson in tv debate with me just now confirmed that “LoP” Rahul Gandhi skipped 15th August Program at Red Fort
This was a national celebration but sadly Lover of Pakistan Rahul Gandhi – in Modi virodh does Desh & Sena Virodh!
Shameful behaviour
Is this…
— Shehzad Jai Hind (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Shehzad_Ind) August 15, 2025
The Congress has faced attack for many of its statements over ‘Op Sindoor’ and with Gandhi’s questions including on how many Indian jets fell or was it the Pakistani jet; who asked for the ceasefire and was it dictated by America. The BJP has accused the Congress of speaking a language which emboldens Pakistan and is anti-national.
This year’s invites for the Red Fort speech had Operation Sindoor as its theme, and the absence of the LoPs has given ammunition to the BJP.
The PM’s comment on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and emergency has also not gone down well with the Congress, where they have accused the PM of making a political point on an occasion where it should have been avoided. As per Congress, this is one reason why the top Congress leaders don’t see a point in attending an event which is political and less about nationalism.
