New Delhi: The office of President Droupadi Murmu has declined a request from the Trinamool Congress for an appointment with a delegation of party leaders, citing a lack of available time. The development comes shortly after tensions surfaced between the President and the West Bengal government over alleged protocol issues during a recent event focused on tribal welfare.
A senior party leader had written earlier this week seeking a meeting with the President for a 12 member delegation. The purpose of the meeting was to brief her on various welfare initiatives implemented by the state government for tribal communities. After the request was declined, the party reportedly sought another appointment for the following week.
The outreach was widely viewed as an attempt to ease tensions following a public exchange during a conference on tribal development held in Siliguri. During the visit, the President questioned why Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or any of her cabinet ministers were not present among those who received her at Bagdogra airport. She also raised concerns about the change of venue for the programme and suggested that tribal communities in the region might not be fully benefiting from development initiatives.
The remarks triggered a strong reaction from the state government. Banerjee rejected the criticism and described the comments as politically motivated, arguing that such statements were inappropriate given the approaching assembly elections in the state.
The disagreement quickly drew national political attention. Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised the alleged protocol lapses and described the situation as disappointing, stating that the concerns expressed by the President had saddened many people who support the empowerment of tribal communities.
The West Bengal government maintained that the programme attended by the President had been privately organised and that the Chief Minister was not involved in the event’s arrangements. State officials also insisted that there had been no breach of protocol by the district administration.
The developments come at a politically sensitive time as West Bengal prepares for a high stakes assembly election expected in April or May, where the Trinamool Congress will face its main challenger, the Bharatiya Janata Party.
