Kolkata: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government seeking details of the protocol violations during President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the state.
President Murmu was the Chief Guest and the main speaker at International Santal Conclave Gossaipur in Darjeeling on Saturday.
Sources in the state secretariat Nabanna said that the main question raised by the MHA in its communique was why the state administration refused to permit the organisers of the conclave to hold the event at the original venue chosen by them, and also why the venue of the event was changed at the last moment.
“The communication from the MHA had been sent to the office of the Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, and the state government had been asked to send a reply to the MHA by Sunday evening,” sources in the state secretariat said.
Now, it is to be seen when the state government replies to the communique and what the contents of the reply will be.
According to the state secretariat sources, a directive was received by the state’s Chief Secretary on Sunday from Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, where the Chief Secretary was asked to send details over the “fiasco” over the President’s event on Saturday and what the state administration did to address that.
In fact, the President was supposed to arrive in North Bengal on Friday afternoon. The visit was postponed due to some unavoidable reasons.
The President landed at Bagdogra airport at 11:30 am on Saturday. She was supposed to attend a function of the tribal community in the Phansidewa area near Siliguri in Darjeeling district, but the venue was later changed to Gossaipur.
Following the venue change controversy, the President expressed her dissatisfaction. Later, she himself went to Phansidewa, where the event was supposed to be held originally. From there, President Murmu resorted to mild criticism of the state administration, while maintaining that Mamata Banerjee was like her younger sister.
The President also pointed out that neither the Chief Minister nor any of her Cabinet colleagues met her during her visit to the state, which was against established traditions and protocols whenever the President visits a place.
Following her statements, a war of words broke out between BJP leaders and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and others slammed the Mamata government over the development.
The Chief Minister countered such criticisms and said that no protocol was lapsed on the part of her administration during the President’s visit to West Bengal.
Mamata also said the BJP was “misusing” the highest chair of the country for its own party “agenda”.
(IANS)
