Kolkata, March 8 The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Sunday sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government, seeking details of protocol violations during President Droupadi Murmu's visit to the state.
President Murmu was the Chief Guest and the main speaker at the International Santal Conclave in Gossaipur, Darjeeling, on Saturday.
Sources in the state secretariat, Nabanna, said that the main question raised by the MHA in its communication was why the state administration refused to allow the organizers of the conclave to hold the event at the original venue they had chosen, and also why the venue was changed at the last minute.
"The communication from the MHA was 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 remains to be seen when the state government will respond to the communication and what the contents of the reply will be.
According to sources in the state secretariat, the state's Chief Secretary, Nandini Chakraborty, received a directive from Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Sunday, asking her to provide details regarding the "disaster" surrounding the President's event on Saturday and what the state administration did to address it.
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 arrived 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 herself went to Phansidewa, where the event was supposed to be held originally. 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.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and others criticized the Mamata government over this matter.
The Chief Minister countered such criticisms and said that no protocol was violated on the part of her administration during the President's visit to West Bengal.
Mamata also said that the BJP was "misusing" the highest office in the country for its own party's "agenda".
