New Delhi: During India's 78th Independence Day celebrations, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Red Fort, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi was notably seated in the second last row, alongside Olympic medallists. This seating arrangement, which placed Gandhi away from the front row, generated significant social media chatter, as it marked the first time in a decade that a Leader of the Opposition was present at the Red Fort for this event.
Dressed in a white kurta-pyjama, Gandhi was seated next to hockey player Gurjant Singh, with other Olympic athletes like Manu Bhaker, Sarabjot Singh, and members of India's bronze-winning hockey team, including captain Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh, occupying the front rows.
Traditionally, the Leader of the Opposition, whose rank is equivalent to that of a Cabinet Minister, is seated in the front row, alongside dignitaries such as the Chief Justice of India and Union ministers. However, this year, due to the allocation of the front rows to Olympic medal winners, Gandhi's seat was moved further back. The Ministry of Defence, which organizes the Independence Day event and seating arrangements, clarified that this adjustment was made to honor the athletes, while typically, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the first few rows.
During the BJP regime under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Leader of the Opposition Sonia Gandhi was always given a front-row seat. However, since 2014, the post of Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha has been vacant, as no party secured the required number of seats. Following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Congress increased its tally to 99 seats, allowing Rahul Gandhi to assume the role, even as the NDA returned to power with a reduced majority.