Political fireworks erupted post-Republic Day as Assam Congress leader Gaurav Gogoi condemned the central authorities for seating Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha LoP Mallikarjun Kharge in the third row at the January 26 parade on Kartavya Path. In Guwahati on Tuesday, Gogoi decried the move as a flagrant protocol violation tied to their high offices.
“Democracy’s temple is Parliament, says the PM, but this behavior raises grave doubts,” Gogoi told journalists, urging the Prime Minister to explain the pattern of such slights at national events. He framed it as an assault on constitutional dignity.
The BJP retaliated by targeting Rahul Gandhi over his refusal to don the Assamese ‘patka’ during the Rashtrapati Bhavan ‘At Home.’ Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, speaking in Digboi, Tinsukia district, voiced outrage: “Not shocked—it’s his history of insensitivity to Northeast pride. No time to waste on this.”
Congress rejected the narrative, with Gogoi advocating calm and decrying the politicization of traditions. “People here measure leaders by crisis support, not props. Rahul’s been constant; the PM, notably absent,” he countered.
This episode peels back layers of rivalry between Congress and BJP, especially in Assam’s charged atmosphere. Protocol adherence in public spectacles isn’t mere formality—it’s a barometer of democratic health. As accusations fly, the Northeast watches closely, weighing symbolic gestures against substantive governance. The parade’s grandeur masked these undercurrents, but they’ve now surfaced, promising prolonged discourse on respect, protocol, and regional honor.