Oppn claims Kharge 'disrespected' over seating arrangement at Murmu's swearing-in, Centre hits back

New Delhi: Several Opposition leaders on Monday wrote to the Rajya Sabha chairman claiming that the Leader of Opposition in the House Mallikarjun Kharge was not accorded a seat commensurate with his position during the swearing-in ceremony of President Droupadi Murmu.

Murmu was sworn in as the 15th President of India at a function in the central hall of Parliament on Monday.

The leaders, including those from the Congress, Nationalist Congress Party, Trinamool Congress, Shiv Sena, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist) and Rashtriya Janata Dal, were signatories to the letter and expressed shock at deliberate disrespect shown to Kharge.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh shared the letter on Twitter and said, "Letter submitted to Hon'ble Chairman, Rajya Sabha by all Opposition Parties (including TMC) just now."

All Opposition Parties submit a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman stating that the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge was made to sit in a seat "not commensurate with the position he holds", at the swearing-in ceremony of President Droupadi Murmu today. pic.twitter.com/TAEZvB53An

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2022

"Today, at the swearing-in ceremony of the Hon'ble President, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha was made to sit in a seat not commensurate with the position he holds," the opposition leaders said in their letter.

"We are writing to express our shock and protest at this deliberate disrespect shown to a very senior leader violating the warrant of precedence and not in accordance with protocol courtesies due to him," the leaders said.

Centre rejects Kharge's allegations

Meanwhile, the Centre has denied Kharge's allegations.

"It's been alleged that there was a violation of protocol during the Presidential oath-taking ceremony. The ceremony is organised by Home Ministry. There is an order of precedent. Going by that, the Leader of Opposition should be seated in third row," ANI quoted Union minister Pralhad Joshi as saying.

"To respect the position of Mallikarjun Kharge, he was provided with a seat in the first row. When he still complained that it was on the corner, the staff offered to move him to the centre, but he refused," Joshi added.

Joshi further said that Kharge "in a way insulted outgoing President Ram Nath Kovind."

"On Saturday, for the farewell function, he was duly invited. He had been allotted a seat close to the PM. But he did not show up. In a way, it was an insult to the outgoing President, the Chairman & the Speaker," Joshi said.

With inputs from agencies

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