Bhubaneswar, March 11 Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday urged his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee to express regret to President Droupadi Murmu over the "unfortunate" incident during her recent visit to the state.
In a letter to Banerjee, Majhi, a prominent tribal leader from the Santhal community, said, "I sincerely urge you to reflect on this matter and convey your regret to the Hon'ble President and to the people of the country. Such a gesture would help reaffirm our shared commitment to democratic norms and the dignity of constitutional offices."
In a post on X, Majhi said he had written to Banerjee expressing concern over the manner in which the President was treated during her visit.
"I wrote to the Hon'ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, @MamataOfficial Ji, expressing deep concern over the unfortunate and disrespectful manner in which Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji, was treated during her recent visit. Such conduct hurts the sentiments of millions across the country, particularly members of the tribal communities. I have urged that the seriousness of the matter be acknowledged and that appropriate regret be conveyed," Majhi said.
In his letter, Majhi said India’s democratic traditions are built on mutual respect and dignity, where differences of opinion should never become differences of heart.
He said the manner in which the President, "herself a respected tribal woman", was treated in West Bengal has caused deep pain to many across the country.
Coming a day before International Women’s Day, the episode is particularly "disturbing", he said, adding that the absence of basic courtesies during the President’s visit, including changes in arrangements related to an event involving members of the tribal community, has been widely perceived as "unfortunate and inconsistent" with India’s constitutional values.
"This incident has not only hurt the sentiments of millions of Adivasis, backward classes and Dalits across the country, but has also cast an avoidable shadow on the image of West Bengal, a land known for its culture, civility and respect for democratic institutions," Majhi said.
Starting that the Santhal community lives across several parts of India and contributes significantly to the country’s development, Majhi added, "I myself, being a member of this community, feel extremely distressed over this incident."
A fierce political slugfest erupted in poll-bound West Bengal on Saturday, after Murmu flagged the lack of development among tribals in north Bengal, drawing an angry retort from Banerjee, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the TMC of insulting the President.
Addressing the 9th International Santal Conference near Bagdogra, Murmu expressed concern that Santals and other adivasi communities in north Bengal were yet to fully benefit from development despite their contribution to the nation, triggering a sharp reaction from the TMC.
Banerjee accused the President of speaking “on the advice of the BJP”, and questioned her silence on alleged atrocities against tribals in states such as Manipur and Chhattisgarh.
Later, while speaking to reporters at Phasidewa where the programme was scheduled to be held, Murmu voiced dissatisfaction over the low turnout at the event.
She questioned the decision to shift the venue from Bidhannagar near Siliguri to a location close to Bagdogra airport, suggesting the move made it difficult for tribal participants to attend.
Murmu also noted the absence of Banerjee and state ministers during her visit.
“Generally, when the President is coming, the CM should be welcoming her and other ministers should be present. But, she did not come,” Murmu said, adding that Banerjee was like her “younger sister” and that she herself was “a daughter of Bengal”.