Congress leader and the Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's absence at the oath ceremony of 53rd Chief Justice of india, Justice Surya Kant, has been slammed by the BJP, which has been questioning his absence in public occasions -- including the Bihar election -- for over a month. BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan has alleged that Gandhi had boycotted the ceremony, declaring him a repeat offender in disrespecting democratic traditions.
In a post on X, the BJP's Amit Malviya said, "Leader of Opposition was missing yet again during the oath-taking ceremony of CJI-elect Justice Suryakant. No one knows where he is or why he skipped an important constitutional event".
He cited a check-list of matters where the Congress leader's intervention is required, including in Karnataka where factionalism in the party is peaking.
"Karnataka is boiling over with the intense infighting between the Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar camps. The Congress high command remains paralysed, unable to take a clear decision," his post read.
"Because everything hinges on "consultations" with Rahul Gandhi, who appears least interested in resolving the crisis, while the people of Karnataka continue to suffer under a government trapped in its own internecine feud," he added.
Calling the occasion "a proud moment" for the country, the BJP's Shehzad Poonawalla said, "At such an important solemn constitutional moment, when we saw that the entire top brass of the government was present, as usual, the Congress which talks about the Constitution... were missing. Rahul Gandhi, leader of opposition, missing, Khadgeji also missing".
"It is quite shameful that important programs of constitutional and national significance are constantly boycotted by Rahul. It is not the first time he's boycotted such events. We have seen in the past, Republic Day programmes, Independence Day programmes, the official programmes, they have also been boycotted by Rahul Gandhi," he added.
