Why Did Rahul Gandhi Sit In Last Row At Red Fort? Centre Responds As I-Day Event Triggers Social Media Chatter

The rank of a Leader of Opposition is equivalent to a cabinet minister and is usually assigned a seat row in first row as per protocol.

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was seen sitting in the last row during Independence Day event at Red Fort.

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Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's presence marked significance during the 78th Independence Day celebrations on Thursday as the event saw a Leader of the Opposition after 10 years. But soon chatter erupted on social media regarding the seating position of Rahul Gandhi who was seen sitting in the last row with India's Olympic contingent. 

The Wayanad MP, wearing a white kurta-payjama was seen sitting beside India's hockey team forward Gurjant Singh.

The rank of leader of the opposition is equivalent to a cabinet minister and as per protocol is always assigned a seat in the front row. During the Thursday event, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Amit Shah and S Jaishankar were seated in the front row. 

Why Did Rahul Gandhi Sit In Last Row? 

The Ministry of Defence, responsible for organising the Independence Day programme and making seating plans said that the Congress MP had to be shifted to the last row as the seats in the front row were assigned to Olympic medallists, according to an India Today report. 

The front rows were occupied by Manu Bhaker and Sarabjot Singh. Members of the Olympic-bronze-winning hockey team, including captain Harmanpreet Singh and PR Sreejesh, were also seated ahead of Rahul Gandhi. 

The report, quoting its sources within the ministry said that LoP is usually given a seat in the first few rows as per protocol.

After the Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA swept the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the post of LoP remained vacant as no Opposition parties won the required number of seats. 
 
Rahul Gandhi was appointed the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha on June 25 after the Congress party gained 99 seats, up from 52 in the 2019 polls.