Kolkata, March 9 The West Bengal government had replied to the clarifications sought by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) regarding protocol violations during President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the state on Saturday.
The MHA had sought the report from the office of the Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, on Sunday morning, setting 5 P.M. of the same day as the deadline for replying to the query.
Although an insider from the state secretariat confirmed that a detailed reply on the clarification sought by the MHA had been sent, he refused to elaborate on the contents of the report, stating only that point-by-point clarifications were provided on the points of protocol violations raised by the MHA.
In fact, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Sunday, had given some indications on what the state government, led by her, would provide as clarifications regarding protocol violations to the MHA.
"After the President arrived at Bagdogra Airport near Siliguri on Monday, the Mayor of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation, Goutam Deb, the District Magistrate of Darjeeling, and the Commissioner of the Siliguri Metropolitan Police (SMC) were present at the airport to receive her according to protocol. There was no protocol violation. There was no plan for me as the Chief Minister to welcome her or be on stage at the event. Since the district administration was present there, there was no question of a breach of protocol," the Chief Minister said on Sunday evening.
The President was scheduled to arrive in North Bengal on Friday afternoon. The visit was postponed due to some unavoidable reasons.
The President arrived at Bagdogra airport at 11:30 AM on Saturday. She was scheduled 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 went to Phansidewa, where the event was originally supposed to be held. From there, President Murmu mildly criticized 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, and finally, on Sunday morning, the MHA sought clarifications from the state government on the protocol violations.