Mumbai, August 16, 2024 – Sharad Pawar, President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), condemned the Centre for allegedly diminishing the status of the Leader of Opposition by assigning Rahul Gandhi a seat in the last rows during the Independence Day celebrations.
Speaking to party workers from the opposition bloc Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), Pawar accused the Centre of disrespecting the constitutional role of the Leader of Opposition. He noted that despite the BJP’s loss of a majority in the Lok Sabha elections, the threat to democratic values persists.
Pawar criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for allegedly neglecting parliamentary norms, including his absence from the Budget session. He emphasized that the prestige of both the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition should be upheld equally, asserting that the current government does not respect democratic institutions.
“The Centre did not honour the post of Leader of Opposition, as evidenced by Rahul Gandhi being seated in the last rows,” Pawar stated. He recalled that during his tenure as Leader of Opposition, his seating arrangement at Independence Day events was on par with cabinet ministers, contrasting this with Gandhi’s current seating placement.
The Congress party had previously criticized the seating arrangement for Gandhi, calling it a reflection of Modi’s “pettiness” and a lack of respect for democratic traditions. Pawar’s remarks underscore ongoing tensions between the opposition and the current administration over issues of protocol and democratic respect.
