Congress Leaders Kharge, Rahul Gandhi Skip Independence Day Ceremony Again In 2026

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Red Fort on Saturday, marking the second consecutive year that both senior Congress leaders did not attend the main ceremony. Their absence comes amid strained relations between the ruling BJP and the Opposition following a contentious Monsoon Session of Parliament.

The Independence Day ceremony at the Red Fort is one of the country's most prominent annual state occasions, bringing together senior political leaders, officials and other dignitaries. Prime Minister Modi led this year's celebrations, which included the traditional flag-hoisting ceremony, a 21-gun salute and other ceremonial events. The National Song "Vande Mataram" was also played in full at the venue for the first time since Independence.

Rahul Gandhi's absence comes a year after a controversy over his seating arrangement at the 2024 Independence Day celebrations. Gandhi, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha and holds Cabinet minister status, was seated in the second-last row during the Red Fort programme. The Opposition criticised the decision, describing the seating arrangement as an insult to the people and a departure from established protocol.

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The Defence Ministry, which organised the ceremony, had defended the seating arrangement at the time, saying changes were made to accommodate Olympic athletes at the venue. Under established protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is generally seated in the front row during major ceremonial events. The dispute over Gandhi's seating became another point of friction between the Congress and the government.

Relations between the ruling party and the Opposition have since remained tense, with the latest disagreement coming during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which concluded on Thursday. The session was marked by repeated disruptions and disagreements between the government and Opposition parties, with both sides accusing each other of being responsible for the low level of parliamentary productivity.

The Monsoon Session began on July 20 amid protests, including a student march towards Parliament on the opening day. According to the information provided, 12 bills were passed during the session, while detailed discussion took place on only one legislation, concerning measures against examination paper leaks. The limited legislative productivity became a major point of contention between the government and the Opposition.

The absence of Kharge and Gandhi from the Independence Day ceremony comes against this backdrop of continuing political confrontation. While no reason for their decision to skip this year's Red Fort celebrations was provided in the information available, their absence for the second consecutive year is likely to draw political attention. The development follows months of disagreement between the Congress-led Opposition and the BJP-led government over parliamentary functioning and other political issues.

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