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Rahul Gandhi’s absence from the Beating Retreat ceremony drew criticism, with BJP pointing to his repeated skipping of major national events.
Congress leader and LoP Rahul Gandhi. (Image: PTI/File)
Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, came under fire after he did not attend the ‘Beating Retreat’ ceremony held at Vijay Chowk in New Delhi on Thursday.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaiveer Shergill took a swipe at Gandhi for skipping the Beating Retreat ceremony, along with other important events including the vice president’s oath-taking ceremony, the Independence Day celebrations, and the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant.
“Events missed by Rahul Gandhi: Beating Retreat, Vice President oath-taking ceremony, Independence Day celebrations, Swearing-in of the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, J. Attended: Malaysia, Vietnam, Colombia,” wrote Shergill on X, also adding that India deserves a Leader of Opposition and not a leader of “leisure and propaganda”.
Events missed by Rahul Gandhi:>Beating RetreatVice President oath-taking ceremonyIndependence Day celebrationsSwearing-in of the Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, J
Attended: Malaysia, Vietnam, Colombia
India deserves a LoP & not “LoLP”-Leader of Leisure & Propaganda
— Jaiveer Shergill (@JaiveerShergill) January 30, 2026
Notably, this was not the first time, as Rahul Gandhi had earlier faced criticism for skipping Independence Day celebrations earlier this year, reportedly over dissatisfaction with the seating arrangements.
Meanwhile, the 77th Republic Day celebrations came to an end on Thursday with the customary Beating Retreat ceremony at Vijay Chowk, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the performances of military and paramilitary bands, noting their skill and the way they honoured key moments in the nation’s history.
January 30, 2026, 10:59 IST
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