All top Union ministers, including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman and S Jaishankar, were present at the event, besides Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and principal secretaries to the prime minister, PK Mishra and Shaktikanta Das.
Reacting sharply, BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari said in a post on X, “Rahul Gandhi misses being present at Red Fort. Can any patriotic LOP (Leader of Opposition), or an individual holding public office, commit such a voluntary act?”
He alleged that Gandhi’s decision to skip the event reflected his hatred for Vande Mataram.
“Rahul Gandhi is unfit to be LoP. Rahul Gandhi’s mindset reflects that of a ‘Dimagi Naxal’ ecosystem!” Bhandari charged.
This is the second straight year that Gandhi and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge have skipped the official Independence Day event at the Red Fort.
