Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge did not attend the Independence Day event at the Red Fort on Friday, fueling speculation about the reasons behind their absence. Neither the party nor the leaders issued an official statement, though sources indicated that Mr. Gandhi was reportedly unhappy with last year’s seating arrangement.

Instead of attending the event in person, both leaders paid tribute to the nation’s freedom fighters through social media. Mr. Gandhi tweeted, "This freedom, achieved through the sacrifices of great freedom fighters, is a resolve to build an India where justice rests on the foundation of truth and equality, and every heart is filled with respect and brotherhood. It is our duty to protect the pride and honor of this precious heritage. Jai Hind, Jai Bharat!"

Mallikarjun Kharge said in a separate message, "Independence Day is a solemn occasion to rededicate ourselves to the values of Freedom, Justice, Equality, and Fraternity cherished by our Democracy." Kharge attended celebrations at the Congress party headquarters, while Gandhi marked the occasion at Indira Bhawan in Delhi.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized Mr. Gandhi for missing the national celebration. Posting on X, he wrote, "Congress spokesperson confirmed that ‘LoP’ Rahul Gandhi skipped the 15th August program at Red Fort. This was a national celebration, but sadly, Rahul Gandhi—under the guise of Modi opposition—ignored the event. Shameful behaviour."

The controversy is linked to last year’s Independence Day ceremony, where Mr. Gandhi, enjoying the status of Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, was seated in the fifth row instead of the front row, breaking protocol. The arrangement had placed him behind Indian Olympic medalists, including shooters Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh, and hockey players Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh. Some Union Ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman, Amit Shah, and S. Jaishankar, also occupied the front row.

The Defence Ministry explained that the seating followed the official table of precedence and was adjusted to honour the country’s Olympic medal winners. "This year, Olympic medalists were given priority, and some Union Ministers were also seated behind them," said a ministry source.

However, the Congress dismissed this explanation as inadequate. Party leader KC Venugopal remarked, "While Olympians deserve respect, it is puzzling that Cabinet Ministers like Amit Shah or Nirmala Sitharaman were seated ahead of the Leader of Opposition."