Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has directed West Bengal Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report by 5:00 pm on Sunday (March 8) on alleged lapses in protocol for receiving President Droupadi Murmu, including the venue shift for the 9th International Santal Conference in Darjeeling and related arrangements, officials confirmed. This move escalates a fierce political storm after Murmu voiced dismay over the event's remote location, which sidelined many Santal community members and the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her ministers.
The President's candid remarks- "If the President visits, the Chief Minister should come"- and her emotional note as a "daughter of Bengal" have ignited accusations from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of deliberate insult, while Trinamool Congress (TMC) dismisses it as BJP's election ploy.
President's disappointment at Santal Conference
At the Darjeeling event, organised by a private International Santal Council, Murmu questioned the administration's venue choice in a vast, inaccessible area, lamenting that locals couldn't attend. She highlighted Banerjee's no-show, adding a personal touch, "Mamata Didi is my younger sister- I don't know if she was angry with me." The conference, shifted from initial plans, drew her ire for poor accessibility despite her tribal roots and affinity for Bengal.
BJP's fierce backlash against TMC
Prime Minister Narendra Modi labelled it "shameful and unprecedented," expressing heartbreak over the slight to a tribal President. Home Minister Amit Shah accused TMC of "humiliating" the highest office, while Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman called her angst "rare and painful." Ministers like Piyush Goyal, Bhupender Yadav, G Kishan Reddy, Giriraj Singh and others piled on, decrying it as an assault on democracy and tribal empowerment. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis echoed claims of deliberate disrespect ahead of state polls.
TMC's strong denial and counterattack
Chief Minister Banerjee refuted protocol breaches, noting the private event's invitation bypassed her office; district admins had warned Rashtrapati Bhavan of organisers' unreadiness, yet it proceeded. "No lapse by administration- BJP misuses the highest chair for politics," she posted on X, slamming BJP's silence on tribal issues in their states. TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee framed it as Bengal vs. the "establishment," while Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb clarified Rashtrapati Bhavan selected the venue.
Opposition views
Congress leader Udit Raj questioned past snubs to President Murmu, like missing invites to Parliament or Ram Temple events. The row, fusing protocol, tribal rights and election heat, now awaits the mandated report, with Govind Mohan probing lapses to defuse the standoff between Delhi and Kolkata.
