Independence Day 2024: PM's Red Fort Address Sees Return Of LoP After 10 Years, Courtesy Rahul Gandhi

For the first time in a decade, a Leader of the Opposition was present at the Red Fort for the Independence Day celebrations.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi became the first opposition leader in 10 years to attend the event, marking a significant political moment in India's history.

Photo Credit: ANI

This shift occurred after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) saw its majority in Parliament reduced, leading to the formation of a strong opposition. Rahul Gandhi emerged as the Leader of the Opposition, a position that had remained vacant during the BJP's decade-long dominance.

Before the BJP's government took power in 2014, the position of Leader of the Opposition was held by the late Sushma Swaraj, a senior BJP leader and former External Affairs Minister, during Dr. Manmohan Singh's tenure as Prime Minister.

As India celebrated its 78th Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi unfurled the national flag at the Red Fort and delivered his 11th consecutive Independence Day address.

This speech was his first as Prime Minister in his third term.

Rahul Gandhi extended his Independence Day wishes to fellow Indians on the social media platform X, stating, "For us, freedom is not just a word - it is our biggest protective shield, woven into constitutional and democratic values. This is the power of expression, the ability to speak the truth and the hope to fulfil dreams."