Mamata Banerjee Counters PM Modi's Protocol Breach Allegation with Undated Photo
In a sharp rebuttal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's accusation that the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal had "gravely insulted" the presidential chair through a protocol breach, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday presented an undated photograph. The image, which she flagged as "proof of who actually shows respect," shows PM Modi seated while President Droupadi Murmu is standing at an event.
"Why Were You Sitting When She Was Standing?"
Speaking from her SIR protest dais, Mamata Banerjee directly questioned the Prime Minister, asking, "Why were you sitting when she was standing?" She emphasized that her administration honours every individual holding constitutional posts, contrasting this with the alleged disrespect shown by the Centre. The controversy stems from a recent International Santal Conference in Siliguri, where the TMC government was accused of failing to provide adequate protocol for President Murmu.
Bengal Singled Out Ahead of Assembly Polls, Alleges CM
Mamata Banerjee alleged that Bengal is being unfairly targeted ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, stating, "The PM attacks and disrespects Bengal before every election." She insisted that the state government had written to the organizers of the International Santal Conference on March 4, citing its inability to participate due to various reasons. "But the Centre ignored it. If anything went wrong at the event, the Centre should be held responsible. Don't blame us," she asserted.
Siliguri Conference Was a Private Event, Says Mamata
The Chief Minister clarified that the Siliguri conference was a private program for which the state government had never been asked to provide support. Addressing allegations about inadequate toilets and other facilities, she pointed out that the venue was under the jurisdiction of the Airport Authority of India (AAI). "The green room, too, had been set up by the organizers in AAI territory. If anything went wrong there, it is their failure," she explained.
Response to PM's Women's Day Criticism
On Prime Minister Modi invoking International Women's Day to criticize how Bengal treated a woman President, Mamata Banerjee responded firmly, "We will celebrate Women's Day a thousand times. We have been celebrating it since our childhood. You do not have the right to criticise us." This highlights the ongoing political tension between the state and central governments over gender and protocol issues.
Official Response and Opposition Unity
Chief Secretary Nandini Chakravorty formally responded in the evening to a communication from Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan, who had sought an explanation for the alleged protocol breach. Sources indicate that this move has further escalated the dispute. The controversy has also united opposition parties behind the TMC. Congress leader Supriya Shrinate commented that the President's office must not be used to "advance BJP's political agenda," reflecting broader political alignments against the ruling party at the Centre.
This incident underscores the deepening rift between the West Bengal government and the central administration, with protocol and respect for constitutional positions becoming focal points in the pre-election political discourse.
