New Delhi (27.01.2026): If Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi doesn’t attend government programmes, he is criticised and when he attends, he is humiliated by the government by not giving his due as LOP. It was repeated on this Republic Day when both the Leaders of Opposition in Parliament – Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in Rajya Sabha -- were given a seat in the third row. But not much hue and cry were made on the issue apparently, the Congress doesn’t want to deflect public anger against the government and the BJP which is already on its zenith on the issue of Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and the recent UGC norms.

There could be another reason for the Congress to keep low on this issue that they have reconciliated to the prevailing conditions and it may be looking for the opportune time to pay the BJP in the same coin. In 2014, Lal Krishna Advani was given the front seat. The BJP defended by saying that Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal was given seat in the fourth row while one of the ministers did not even get the seat. However, Advani got a back seat in 2009. But if a minister doesn’t get a seat, it shows a very poor management.