Congress President Rahul Gandhi has been given a fourth row seat to witness the Republic Day parade here on Friday, sparking furious reaction from the party which said it was done in breach of protocol and to "demean" the party and its President.

Traditionally the Congress President would be given a seat in the front row as was the case till last year, but for this Republic Day celebrations Gandhi would be seated in the fourth row for the event at which 10 Asean heads of government will be the chief guests.

"Yes, we came to know about it that Rahul Gandhi has been given a seat in the fourth row for the Republic Day celebration. And it is a very cheap thing to do," a Congress source told.

He said a seat in the fourth row was allotted to Gandhi "on the directions of the government as the officers cannot decide this on their own".

"It is this (BJP) government's style as they want to demean the Congress party and its President in front of the Asean leaders and people of India - that now he and his party are no more relevant. It's their (BJP) way of saying so," he added.