Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge Skip Independence Day 2026 Event As Defence Ministry Shares Ex-BJP LoP Seating Details

The Union Defence Ministry on Friday, August 14, sent the Congress party a list showing the seating placements of former Leaders of Opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), including Sushma Swaraj and Arun Jaitley, during previous governments, as the row over the seating of Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge at the Red Fort Independence Day ceremony continued. Both Congress leaders skipped the event on Saturday, with reports citing concerns over seating arrangements and protocol.

Sources told CNN-News18 that the Defence Ministry had approached the Congress stalwarts with a list featuring the placement of seats to former Leaders of Opposition during the previous Congress regime. However, the Congress leaders were “not convinced", they said, adding they refused to attend the event at the Red Fort “without giving any reason". Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge Skip Red Fort Independence Day Event for 2nd Consecutive Year.

Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge Skip Red Fort I Day event

Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, the Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, did not attend the Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.

Current reports describe this as the second consecutive year in which the two senior Congress leaders have stayed away from the ceremony. Their absence comes amid the continuing dispute over seating arrangements for the Opposition leaders. Independence Day 2026: ‘Freedom Is a Responsibility’, Rahul Gandhi Urges Citizens to Protect Democracy.

Instead, Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, hoisted the tricolour at the headquarters of the party, Indira Bhawan, Kotla Marg.

The BJP criticised the Congress over its decision to stay away from the national ceremony. Speaking to CNN-News18, BJP leader RP Singh alleged that while the Congress Chief climbs the stairs at Makar Dwar in Parliament regularly but refrained from attending the Independence Day event.

What is the Seating Controversy?

The controversy erupted in 2024 during the Independence Day celebrations when Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha who enjoys the status of a Cabinet minister, was seated in the second last row, marking a departure from the protocol.

While the Opposition claimed the allocation of seat to the Congress MP was an insult to the people, the Centre argued that the arrangement was tweaked to make room for Olympians on the premises.

According to the protocol, the LoP sits in the front row during ceremonial events.

The issue has remained politically contentious since then. In the latest developments, the government had indicated ahead of the 2026 ceremony that Gandhi would be seated according to the table of precedence, immediately after Union Cabinet ministers.

Defence Ministry Shares Previous Seating Arrangements

Sources cited by CNN-News18 said the Defence Ministry shared details of how former BJP Leaders of Opposition had been seated during previous Congress-led governments.

The list reportedly included Sushma Swaraj, who served as Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha from 2009 to 2014, and Arun Jaitley, who was Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha from 2009 to 2014.

The move came as the government sought to provide context for the current seating dispute. However, sources said the Congress leaders were “not convinced". They refused to attend the event at the Red Fort “without giving any reason", according to the report.

Kharge's Seating Also Questioned

Top Congress sources told CNN-News18 that Mallikarjun Kharge, the LoP in the Rajya Sabha, was assigned a seat in the second or third row. However, it was inconvenient for him to walk to the venue.

Instead, Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi, hoisted the tricolour at the headquarters of the party, Indira Bhawan, Kotla Marg. The seating dispute therefore extended beyond Rahul Gandhi to the position of the Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition.

BJP Targets Congress Over Absence

The BJP targeted the Congress over choosing to stay away from the Independence Day celebrations at Red Fort. Speaking to CNN-News18, BJP leader RP Singh alleged that while the Congress Chief climbs the stairs at Makar Dwar in Parliament regularly but refrained from attending the Independence Day event.

Other BJP leaders also criticised the absence of Rahul Gandhi and Kharge. Union minister Giriraj Singh called their decision a “childish act” and said it did not befit the positions they hold. Congress, meanwhile, has maintained its objections to the treatment of its senior leaders at official national ceremonies.

The 2024 seating arrangement became the starting point for the continuing political dispute. Gandhi had recently become Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, a position that carries Cabinet-rank status, when he was placed toward the back of the seating area during the Red Fort ceremony.

Congress objected to the placement, arguing that the Leader of Opposition should receive a prominent position under established protocol. The government, however, said the seating plan had been altered to accommodate Olympians attending the event.

The controversy resurfaced during subsequent ceremonial events, including the Republic Day celebrations, where questions were again raised by Congress leaders about the seating of the two Leaders of Opposition.

For the 2026 Independence Day ceremony, the government had sought to address the issue beforehand by stating that Gandhi's seating would follow the table of precedence.

Despite that assurance, the seating issue remained a point of contention and ultimately coincided with the decision by Gandhi and Kharge to stay away from the Red Fort ceremony.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 15, 2026 05:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).