NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge skipped the Independence Day function at the Red Fort from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation.
A chair reserved for Kharge, who is also the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, was seen empty during the 77th Independence Day function at the Red Fort.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was among several dignitaries, diplomats and ministers present at the event at the Mughal-era fort.
Kharge, however, unfurled the national flag at his residence and later at the Congress headquarters where the Independence Day function was also attended by Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders.
The Congress president said he has a problem in his eyes and also had to unfurl the national flag at his residence and then at the Congress office.
Asked about his absence from the function at the Red Fort, Kharge said that he could not have reached the Congress office in time from Red Fort. "I did not go there due to paucity of time," he said at the Congress headquarters.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore said they celebrated Independence Day with the people of the country. "When Lok Sabha opposition leader suspended...When MPs are suspended for an indefinite period...When opposition leaders' speeches are expunged if we mention Adani...When mikes are switched off...what else we can do? We celebrate Independence Day with people," he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Party spokesperson Pawan Khera posted on X, "Apparently the BJP is upset that Kharge ji was not present at the prime minister's Red Fort speech."
"Does the prime minister realise that his route arrangements would have made it impossible for Kharge sahib to reach the party headquarters in time for the flag hoisting function? Do we not have the independence of hoisting the flag at our headquarters on Independence Day?" he posed.
'Pledge to uphold freedom of democracy, Constitution'
Meanwhile, Kharge pledged to uphold democracy and the Constitution which he alleged were in danger.
On Independence Day, he saluted the sacrifices of innumerable Indians who gave up their lives during the freedom struggle and said they not only made a contribution to the national movement but also laid a strong foundation for India.
In a post in Hindi on 'X', he said, "Happy Independence Day to all of you and congratulations. Democracy and Constitution are the soul of our country. We take this pledge that we will uphold the freedom of democracy and constitution for the unity and integrity of the country, for love and brotherhood, for harmony and harmony. Jai Hind."
He also lauded the contribution of former prime ministers, including Atal Bihari Vajpayee who, he said, always worked for the country and took many steps for progress and development.
Noting that democracy and the Constitution are the soul of the country, he said on the occasion of this Independence Day, "We take a pledge that we will uphold the freedom of democracy and Constitution for the unity and integrity of the country, for love and brotherhood, for harmony and fraternity."
"With this determination, once again I extend my warmest wishes to all of you on Independence Day. 'Bharat Judega, INDIA Jeetega'," he said, referring to the tagline of the opposition alliance.
'Govt giving new dimensions to dictatorship'
The Congress president also lamented that democracy, Constitution and autonomous institutions were all in "great danger" and lashed out at the BJP for "suppressing the voice" of the opposition.
"New tactics are being adopted to suppress the voice of the opposition. Raids by CBI, ED, Income Tax are happening, Election Commission is being weakened. Efforts are being made to suppress the voice of opposition MPs in Parliament by suspending them. Someone's mic is going off or someone's words are getting expunged. Privilege motions are being brought," the Congress chief said.
In the coming times, people may not believe that there was a time when people from the ruling party used to block proceedings of Parliament, he noted, targeting the current dispensation. "Great people don't erase old history to write new history. They draw their line big, they don't make the already drawn line smaller by cutting or erasing it," Kharge said.
Kharge alleged that the government is claiming credit for schemes of previous governments just by changing their names. "Democracy is being torn to shreds by distorting the old constitutional systems that have been running for decades, giving new dimensions to dictatorship. And now, they are trying to create history by renaming old laws, which provided stability and peace to the country," he said.
Taking a dig at the prime minister, he said, "First, they talked about 'acche din', then, they talked about 'New India', And now they talk about 'Amrit Kaal'. Isn't this a name change to hide his failures?"
Referring to Manipur, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, where there have been incidents of violence in the recent past, he said be it any corner of the country - "wherever there is injustice, the Congress party will establish justice."
For the rights of the youth, for the welfare of the farmers, for the respect of women, for the justice of the underprivileged, for the earnings of small traders, he said, "The Congress is standing. INDIA will rise."
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
