The Congress party has raised concerns regarding the seating arrangements for senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge at the 77th Republic Day parade on Kartavya Path. The party is alleging a breach of protocol, with leaders seated in the third row instead of the front row.

Congress leaders have voiced their discontent, asserting that this arrangement deviates from established norms and traditions. Congress MP and general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala shared an image of the two leaders seated in the third row, decrying a lack of "decorum". He questioned whether such treatment of the Leader of the Opposition met the standards of tradition and protocol, suggesting it revealed the government's "inferiority complex".

Tariq Anwar, another Congress leader, described the situation as "deeply unfortunate," emphasizing the special protocol status traditionally accorded to the Leader of the Opposition, often seen as equivalent to a "shadow prime minister". He argued that these conventions uphold democratic balance and respect for institutional roles, which he believes have been ignored.

In response, Congress Lok Sabha Whip Manickam Tagore shared a 2014 photograph of BJP veteran L.K. Advani seated in the front row during a Republic Day parade when the UPA government was in power. Tagore questioned the "protocol confusion" and asked whether the current administration intended to "insult" Kharge and Gandhi.

This isn't the first time that seating arrangements at the Republic Day parade have sparked controversy. In 2018, the Congress party objected to Rahul Gandhi, then party president, being placed in the fourth to sixth row. Following the 2018 incident, Rahul Gandhi was given a front-row seat at the 2019 Republic Day parade. Similarly, in 2024, concerns arose when Rahul Gandhi was seated in the second-last row during Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort. Defence ministry sources explained then that the front rows were allocated to Olympic medal winners.

Officials have clarified that political leaders are seated in designated VIP enclosures according to their rank in the precedence list. They added that row numbers might vary each year due to security, logistics, and the number of dignitaries.

Despite these clarifications, the Congress party remains firm in its stance, alleging a deliberate breach of protocol and disrespect towards senior opposition leaders. Senior Rajya Sabha MP Vivek Tankha called it a sheer lack of protocol and grace. The party insists that the Leader of the Opposition should be given a front-row seat, in line with tradition and democratic norms.

Adding to the controversy, reports indicate that Rahul Gandhi briefly attended the President's "At-Home" reception on Republic Day but did not exchange greetings with Prime Minister Modi. Sources also claim that both Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge left the reception early, allegedly breaching protocol.