New Delhi [India], January 26 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday accused Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi of "disrespecting the culture and people of North-East" by "choosing not to wear Patka," despite President Droupadi Murmu's requests At Home reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan on the occasion of Republic Day.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly condemned Rahul Gandhi's actions, which he believed "reinforced a perception of disregard towards the North."
As per BJP leaders, the Patka was worn by everyone at the Home reception, including President Murmu, PM Modi and foreign dignitaries.
"Times may change, but the attitude of the de facto supremo of the Congress party, Mr Rahul Gandhi, regrettably appears unchanged. In an act that was deeply insensitive and insulting to the people of the entire North East, Mr. Gandhi chose not to wear the traditional Patka, a symbol of the region's rich cultural heritage, at the reception hosted by the Hon'ble President of India this evening," the Assam CM said in a post on X.
"From the President and the Prime Minister to foreign dignitaries, everyone wore the Patka with respect and pride. Mr. Gandhi alone stood apart, reinforcing a perception of disregard towards the North East. Such conduct explains why his party has lost the trust of the region and much of the country. Yet, this repeated insensitivity continues," he added.
https://x.com/himantabiswa/status/2015792908860100730?s=20
BJP's National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla's refusal to wear a Patka is also an "insult" to the President Droupadi Murmu.
"RAHUL GANDHI REJECTS NORTH EAST GAMOSA despite President of India requesting him to wear it Rahul Gandhi hates NORTH EAST AND ITS CULTURE AND PEOPLE HE INSULTED PRESIDENT FROM ADIVASI SAMAJ HIS FAMILY HAS ALWAYS BETRAYED NORTH EAST THEY BOMBED NORTH EAST KEPT IT AWAY FROM DEVELOPMENT AND INFRA THEY WANTED TO GIVE UP ASSAM IN 1962 Rahul regularly refuses Assamese Gamosa and he even cut off Assam from the Map of India during BJ Yatra," he said.
https://x.com/Shehzad_Ind/status/2015783111305593281?s=20
However, the Congress hit back, sharing a picture of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh without the Patka.
"The 2016 batch of betrayer must stop this nonsense. Why is Rajnath Singh ji not wearing the North east patka then? Stop dragging the Hon'ble President into your cheap politics," posted Congress MP Manickam Tagore
Earlier, Rahul Gandhi made a brief appearance at the President of India's At Home reception on the occasion of Republic Day. The Lok Sabha LoP, however, did not join the queue of waiting Ministers and instead chose to go and sit with Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, sources said.
Sources said that the Congress President chose to leave the occasion early, along with Rahul Gandhi. They said it is a breach of established protocol, which demands that visitors await the departure of the President before leaving the occasion.
Earlier, during the Republic Day Parade, Gandhi was seen sitting in the fourth row behind some Union Ministers, including Shivraj Chauhan and Ashwini Vaishnaw.
That seating arrangement seems to have miffed the Congress party, which claimed that the Lok Sabha LoP was not accorded due importance as per protocol.