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Rahul Gandhi gets 4th row seat at Republic Day parade, Congress fumes: Reports
The Congress says the move is a breach of protocol and is being done by the Narendra Modi government to demean party president Rahul Gandhi.
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi has been assigned a fourth row seat at the Republic Day parade, which, party sources said, was done in breach of protocol and to “demean” its president, reported news agencies on Thursday quoting unnamed party sources.
“We have come to know that the Congress president has been assigned a seat in the fourth row, unlike in the past when they used to occupy a seat in the front row during the Republic Day parade,” said a senior Congress leader, on the condition of anonymity.
The Congress leader alleged that by doing so the Narendra Modi government was resorting to “cheap politics”.
“It is this (BJP) government’s style as they want to demean the Congress party and its president in front of the ASEAN leaders and the people of India — that now he and his party are no more relevant. It’s their (BJP) way of saying so,” a Congress source told news agency IANS.
The senior Congress leader, however, said Gandhi will attend the function irrespective of the seating arrangements.
India will be celebrating its 69th republic Day on Friday, which will be attended by heads of governments of 10 ASEAN nations.
