‘Another insult to the northeast’: BJP targets Congress over ‘gamosa’ issue

A political controversy erupted after the Republic Day ‘At Home’ reception at Rashtrapati Bhavan, with the BJP accusing Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, of disrespecting Assamese culture and the office of the President by declining to wear the traditional gamosa.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that Gandhi refused repeated requests from President Draupadi Murmu to wear the gamosa during the reception following the Republic Day parade. Speaking to reporters, Poonawalla said, “Congress ki ek hi pehchaan, karo North East ka aapman… When the President asks you twice to wear the gamosa and you refuse, it is also an insult to the President and the constitutional post.” He also claimed that Gandhi had “broken protocols” at the event.

The Congress rejected the allegations, calling them politically motivated. Congress MP and Assam Congress president Gaurav Gogoi said the issue was being selectively highlighted. “BJP’s IT Cell has raised a lot of questions regarding a few pictures from the ‘At Home’ reception. When Congress pointed out that the same logic applies to Rajnath Singh, the BJP falls silent. We should rise above such politics,” he said.

Escalating the counterattack, Congress MP Manickam Tagore alleged that opposition leaders were being “systematically insulted”. He also questioned why similar objections were not raised against ruling party leaders. “We all know that there is a systematic insult towards Opposition leaders, particularly Mallikarjun Kharge ji and Rahul Gandhi ji. In Kiren Rijiju’s video, we saw Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Jitin Prasada and Rajnath Singh were also not wearing the patka,” Tagore said.

Earlier, BJP leaders had claimed that the traditional Assamese patka or gamosa was worn by all attendees at the reception, including the President, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and foreign dignitaries, and that Gandhi’s refusal amounted to “disrespecting the culture and people of the North East”.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma strongly condemned Gandhi’s conduct in a post on X, saying it reflected a continuing disregard for the region.

“Times may change, but the attitude of the de facto supremo of the Congress party, Mr Rahul Gandhi, regrettably appears unchanged,” Sarma wrote. “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.”

The row adds to the ongoing political sparring between the BJP and Congress, with both sides accusing each other of politicising cultural symbols and constitutional events.