Congress president Rahul Gandhi's seat in the fourth row to witness the Republic Day Parade has irked some leaders of the party. They cried foul saying that the party president always got a front row seat in the past.
There was no official confirmation on the seating arrangement of political leaders and ministers, but a senior Congress leader on condition of anonymity was quoted by PTI as saying that by doing this the Narendra Modi government was resorting to cheap politics.
"We have come to know that the Congress president has been assigned a seat in the fourth row, unlike in past when they used to occupy a seat in the front row during the Republic Day parade," the Congress leader was quoted as saying.
The leader, however, maintained that Rahul Gandhi will be attending the event irrespective of the seating arrangement.
According to the Warrant of Precedence of the Ministry of Home Affairs — that lays out the hierarchy protocol — Cabinet Ministers of the Union, Chief Ministers of states within their respective states, former prime ministers, Leaders of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha are placed at seventh position. The list, however, does not include the President of the main opposition party. During the UPA term exceptions were made for the then party president Sonia Gandhi to be seated in the first row.
Congress leaders said the move was aimed at humiliating the party leadership at the event that will be attended by heads of states of all 10 ASEAN countries.
Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has also been always assigned a seat in the front row at the Republic Day parade ever since this government came to power in 2014.
DIFFERENT REGIME, DIFFERENT RULES
- According to the Warrant of Precedence of the Home Ministry, Union Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers of states, former prime ministers, Leaders of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha are placed at seventh position.
- The list, however, does not include the Leader of the Opposition in its seating protocol.
- Congress party leaders stated that Rahul Gandhi will attend the event despite the seating arrangement.
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