Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Aug 15: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi skipped the 80th Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort for the second consecutive year, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation on Saturday.

Their absence comes amid strained relations between the ruling party and the Opposition, which were also evident during the recently concluded Monsoon Session of Parliament.

Kharge and Gandhi were not present at the Independence Day programme led by Modi at the Red Fort. This is the second consecutive year that the Congress president and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha have skipped the celebrations.

The absence also comes a year after Gandhi's seating arrangement at the 2024 Independence Day event triggered a controversy. Gandhi, who enjoys Cabinet minister status as the Leader of the Opposition, was seated in the second-last row during the programme at the Red Fort, departing from the usual protocol.

The Opposition had described the seating arrangement as an insult to the people. The Defence Ministry, which organised the event, said the seating arrangement had been changed to accommodate Olympians at the venue. As per protocol, the Leader of the Opposition is seated in the front row during ceremonial events.

The strained relationship between the government and the Opposition further intensified during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, which ended on Thursday.

The session witnessed repeated disputes over productivity, with both sides blaming each other for the low output. The session began on July 20, the first day of proceedings, with students marching towards Parliament.

Twelve bills were passed during the session, with detailed discussion taking place on only one — the anti-paper leak legislation.

After the House was adjourned sine die, the Congress, along with the Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party, boycotted the customary tea party hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla.

Modi's Independence Day speech

In his address from the Red Fort, Modi focused on India's vision of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047, when the country completes 100 years of independence.

He called for 33% representation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies and referred to the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam.

The Prime Minister outlined "Shakti Ki Saptadhara", covering seven areas — manufacturing, agriculture and food production, technology and innovation, Gati Shakti, Raksha Shakti, the green and blue economy, and India's soft power.

Modi also announced plans to establish a modern Civil Defence network and highlighted the contribution of women to nation-building in areas including fighter jets, civil aviation, sports, STEM education and the armed forces.

He also spoke about Maoist ideology and what he referred to as "Dimagi Naxals", while highlighting the contribution of citizens from different sections of society to India's progress.