The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday, accusing him of disrespecting the nation and its armed forces by being absent from the official Independence Day celebrations at the Red Fort.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticised Gandhi’s absence from the government-hosted event, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisted the national flag and addressed the nation. Poonawalla described the Congress leadership's decision to skip the event as “shameful behaviour”.
“Congress spokesperson in a TV debate with me just now confirmed that ‘LoP’ Rahul Gandhi skipped the 15th August programme at Red Fort. This was a national celebration, but sadly, lover of Pakistan Rahul Gandhi – in opposing Modi, he ends up opposing the country and our armed forces. Shameful behaviour. Is this how one respects the Constitution and our military?” Poonawalla said in a post on social media platform X.
In a strongly worded statement, Poonawalla accused the Congress of prioritising political rivalry over national unity. “Today, on 15th August, we celebrate our freedom. This is a day of national pride, not someone’s birthday or a political event. But the Congress has once again shown that it’s no longer the Indian National Congress – it behaves more like the Islamabad National Congress or the Italian National Congress,” he alleged.
The BJP also accused Rahul Gandhi of undermining the nation and disrespecting the Constitution by not attending the ceremonial event, which included tributes to military operations such as Operation Sindoor and the armed forces. “Skipping the national ceremony is a direct insult to the army, the Constitution, and the memory of our freedom fighters and martyrs. The Leader of the Opposition seems to oppose the Indian state and even questions India’s identity as a nation,” Poonawalla added.
In the meantime, Congress held its own Independence Day celebration at Indira Bhavan in New Delhi, where Rahul Gandhi participated in a flag-hoisting ceremony led by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
The event was attended by senior party leaders and workers despite persistent rainfall. “Today, we remember all the freedom fighters whose sacrifices brought us this independence. It is our duty to protect it,” the Congress said in an official statement.
