Gravest disrespect to President: Congress slams PM Modi for not standing during Bharat Ratna ceremony

The Congress on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had committed "gravest disrespect" to President Droupadi Murmu by not standing up while she was presenting Bharat Ratna to BJP veteran L.K. Advani.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh posted pictures on X of President Murmu presenting Bharat Ratna to Advani at his residence. In the pictures, Advani and PM Modi are seated on chairs while President Murmu is standing while handing over the citation to the BJP stalwart.

"The gravest disrespect to our Rashtrapati. The Prime Minister certainly should have been standing," Ramesh said in his post along with the pictures.

Speaking at the INDIA bloc rally at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav also raised the issue, saying PM Modi did not even stand in the president's honour and alleged that the BJP has no faith in the Constitution.

President Murmu conferred Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, on BJP stalwart and former deputy prime minister Advani at his residence in New Delhi on Sunday.

The ceremony was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and the family members of Advani, the Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a post on X.