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On the auspicious occasion of Independence Day, the main national function organized at the historic Red Fort in the country’s capital Delhi has once again become a big arena of political rhetoric and disputes. During this year’s Independence Day celebrations, the top opposition leaders i.e. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge were once again seen missing from their designated seats to listen to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation and attend this biggest festival of the country. Immediately after this, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took an aggressive stance and termed this absence as a direct disrespect towards the country’s democracy, national festivals and the honor of martyrs. There has been a debate in the political circles as to why senior Congress leaders are continuously staying away from such national events, after which the war of words between the party and the opposition has reached its peak.
Why did Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge not attend the Red Fort ceremony?
This national festival of Independence Day is a day of pride for every citizen of the country, in which there has been an established tradition of participation of leaders holding all the major constitutional posts of the ruling party and the opposition. However, for the last few years, it has been seen that the top leadership of Congress has maintained a kind of distance from such government and national events. According to official sources and media reports, different reasons are being given for Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge being missing from the main stage of the Red Fort. Opposition sources claim that the seats allotted to them in the last few events are far behind the protocol, about which they have expressed their displeasure several times. Apart from this, non-attendance of these big leaders at this function citing political commitments and other local programs is now becoming a continuous trend, on which political analysts are expressing deep concern.
BJP’s sharp attack: Boycott of national festival is an insult to the country and the Constitution.
Bharatiya Janata Party has attacked in very strong words on Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge not attending the Red Fort ceremony. All the senior spokespersons and leaders of BJP have made a strong attack on the Congress party by holding a press conference. The ruling party says that Independence Day is not a program of any political party or government, but it is a sacred national festival of 140 crore countrymen, in which the immortal fighters who sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the country are remembered. BJP alleges that the Congress Party and its leaders, due to personal ego and political hatred, have now started boycotting the national festivals of the country while opposing the Prime Minister and democratic institutions of the country. BJP has directly called this an insult to the country’s great traditions, democracy and the makers of the Constitution and has appealed to the public to question this attitude of the Congress.
Counterattack of Congress Party and Opposition: Ignoring protocol and emphasis on public issues
Responding to these sharp attacks of BJP, Congress Party also did not waste any time in counterattacking. The media department of Congress and other senior leaders of the party have clarified that his absence should not be termed as anti-national or an insult to the country in any way. Congress leaders argue that the government deliberately manipulates seating arrangements and protocols to humiliate leaders of the main opposition parties. The party says that when the government tries to suppress the voice of the opposition within the Parliament and runs away from discussion on important national issues, then there is no justification for participating in such symbolic events. Congress also said that their leaders are not dependent on any government platform to prove their patriotism towards the country, and they are celebrating Independence Day among the public, which is the quality of real democracy.
Political culture and the future of national festivals: what is going on in decline?
This whole incident has brought a very disappointing picture of Indian politics in front of the country, where now even sacred occasions like national festivals and Independence Day are becoming victims of political tussle and competition to take credit. Experts believe that whether it is the ruling party or the opposition, both have to understand that events related to the unity, integrity and national symbols of the country should be kept above politics. If the country’s top leaders and opposition stalwarts shy away from coming on a platform like this, it sends a wrong message to the general public and political bitterness increases further. In the coming times, a strong need is being felt that political parties should keep aside their ideological differences and political distances and at least start a healthy political tradition to maintain the dignity and decorum of national festivals.