Republic Day parade seating row returns as Congress flags Rahul Gandhi, Kharge's seats: ‘Lack of protocol’

THe Opposition's objection to seats arrangements at the Republic daytime march feature sparked political sparring multiple times, and this twelvemonth may be no different. Congress MP and general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala on Monday flagged the seating of Leader of Opposition (Lok Sabha) Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge at the annual Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path. He shared an image of the two leaders seated in the third row and alleged a lack of protocol and “decorum”. “Does such treatment of the leader of the opposition in the country meet the standards of any decorum, tradition, and protocol? This only reveals the frustration of a government plagued by an inferiority complex,” he said.He said that, in a democracy, differences will persist, but this treatment meted out to Rahul Gandhi “is unacceptable”. Mallikarjun Kharge, who is also Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, was later seen seated in the front row alongside Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and former vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar.Another Congress leader raised the seating in a post on X.Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha wrote: "This is sheer lack of protocol & grace !! May be too much to expect in present times !! #RahulGandhi #Khargeji", along with a picture showing the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Congress president seated away from the front rows at Kartavya Path. The posts bring back the political debate over the Opposition alleging established conventions are not followed, an allegation that the government has in the past denied by saying that seating at the Republic Day parade is determined strictly by official protocol.What's the protocol?Seating at state ceremonies such as the Republic Day parade is allotted according to the Warrant (Order) of Precedence, which ranks constitutional or official position held by dignitaries, not on political affiliation.The Warrant (Order) of Precedence is issued by the President’s Secretariat and maintained by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).The Leaders of Opposition in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha are included in the precedence list, and are accorded senior status among political leaders, though they rank below the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Union cabinet ministers and certain constitutional authorities.Officials have earlier clarified in similar controversies that political leaders, including those from the Opposition, are seated in designated VIP enclosures as per their rank in the precedence list; and that row numbers can vary each year depending on security, logistics, and the total number of dignitaries present.This is not the first time that seating arrangements at the Republic Day parade have drawn criticism from opposition parties.At the 2018 parade, the Congress objected to the seating of Rahul Gandhi — then party president — saying he had been placed in one of the fourth to sixth row seats instead of the front row traditionally given to party chiefs. Congress leaders described the arrangement as “cheap politics”.After the 2018 controversy, the 2019 Republic Day parade saw Rahul Gandhi being given a front-row seat, what some said was a correction from organisers following the previous year's debate.Independence Day celebrations at the iconic Red Fort of Delhi also made headlines for the same reason in 2024 after visuals of Rahul Gandhi sitting in the second-last row with Olympic medallists sparked chatter on social media.Sources in the Ministry of Defence, cited in news reports, then said the Congress leader had to be shifted back as the front rows were allocated to the Olympic medal winners. The Ministry of Defence conducts the Independence Day event and making the seating plans. Sources had then said the Leader of Opposition is normally given a seat in the first few rows as per protocol.