‘Disrespect to LoP’: Cong slams centre over Rahul Gandhi's 3rd-row seating at R-Day Parade. What does the protocol say?

ASSAM Congress president Gaurav Gogoi on Tuesday targeted the Centre over the seating of Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in the third row during the 77th Republic Day celebrations held in the national capital on Monday.

Gogoi called it disrespectful to the constitutional position of the LoP.

A day earlier, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi attended the Republic Day parade at Delhi's Kartavya Path. However, their placement in the third row

"The protocol to be followed towards the LoP during the Republic Day event could not be seen yesterday. This has happened repeatedly. Only PM Modi can answer - Why he disregards the respectable position of the LoP while he calls Parliament a temple of democracy," Gogoi told news agency ANI.

Earlier, another Congress leader and senior lawyer, Abhishek Singhvi said ‘protocol was not a favour.’ “Grace is not optional. When both are missing, it says more about the moment than the men slighted. Disturbing, but sadly unsurprising in these times,” the Parliamentarian said in a post on X.

Another Congress MP Manickam Tagore alleged that it was "intentionally done by the BJP" to "insult" Rahul Gandhi. Sharing a photo from 2014, he pointed to the seating of LK Advani, asking: “Look at where LK Advani ji was seated then. Why this protocol mess-up now? Is it because Modi and Shah want to insult Kharge ji and Rahul ji?”

Advani was not even the Leader of Opposition in January 2014. Sushma Swaraj was the LoP.

Table of Precedence - The Protocol

The Union government has not responded to the charges. The seating arrangement at at state ceremonies is strictly allotted according to the 'Table of Precedence' issued by the President's Secretariat.

Leaders of the Opposition rank 7th in the order of precedence, according to the precedence' following the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Governors, former Presidents, the Deputy Prime Minister, the Chief Justice of India, the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Ministers, and former Prime Ministers.

The BJP, however, slammed the Congress for "politicising" the event.

"Rahul Gandhi is not worried that he sat in the third row; he is trying to deflect when he was caught busy on his phone, when the country was celebrating Brahmos in the defence line-up at Kartavya Path," BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari posted on X.

Main Ranks in the Table of Precedence issued by the President's Secretariat

1: President

2: Vice-President

3: Prime Minister

4: Governors of States (within their states)

5: Former Presidents

5A: Deputy Prime Minister

6: Chief Justice of India, Speaker of the Lok Sabha

7: Cabinet Ministers of the Union, Chief Ministers of States (within their states), Former Prime Ministers, Leaders of Opposition in Rajya Sabha/Lok Sabha

7A: Holders of the Bharat Ratna decoration

8: Ambassadors/High Commissioners, Chief Ministers/Governors (outside their states)

9: Judges of the Supreme Court

9A: Chief Election Commissioner, Comptroller & Auditor General

10: Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha; Deputy Chief Ministers; Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha