Chandigarh, October 9
The seating arrangement at the 90th Indian Air Force Day celebrations at Sukhna Lake, which was graced by President Droupadi Murmu, has led to murmurs in political circles as Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya was not seated next to the President like Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit. The Haryana Governor sat two seats away from Murmu.
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal VR Chaudhari, and his wife were seated next to the President.
Sources in the Haryana Governor House said according to the protocol, the Governor was supposed to be seated next to the President. “This was given the go-by. The Governor was seated after the Air Force chief and his wife, while the Punjab Governor was seated next to the President,” the sources added.
A Haryana official said they would take up the matter with the Chandigarh Administration in the coming week. “Since, it’s Sunday today, we will write to the UT Administration shortly,” the sources added.
The sources said the entire seating arrangement was handled by the UT Administration even though it was an Air Force function.
UT Adviser Dharam Pal, however, said the seating arrangement was made as per the protocol; there was no violation. “The Air Force was the organiser of the event and the Air Chief Marshal has to be seated next to the President to explain to her about the programme,” the Adviser added.
