Modi accuses Mamata of insulting Prez Murmu

New Delhi: Inan attack on the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, speaking at Women's Day event, criticised it for “insulting” President Droupadi Murmu.

This comes after President Droupadi Murmu expressed displeasure over the arrangements during her visit to the state on Saturday, calling it “shameful and unprecedented”. She also underlined the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who later said the President's remarks were unbecoming and political in nature “at the BJP's behest”.

Modi, referring to Murmu, said her insult was an affront to the dignity of the nation’s highest constitutional office. “The country and Nari Shakti will not forgive this insult inflicted on President Droupadi Murmu,” the Prime Minister said. A change in the venue of 9th International Santhali Conclave in West Bengal, and the absence of CM Banerjee and other ministers at the event attended by President Murmu, turned into a war of words on Saturday with not just the President herself, but PM Modi and several Central ministers and BJP leaders also making allegations against the TMC.

Mamata Banerjee, however, hit back at the criticism, linking it to the Modi-led BJP's aggressive campaign ahead of state elections due in barely two months.

On Saturday, President Murmu attended the tribal community conclave that was initially supposed to take place in Bidhannagar but later moved to a smaller venue in Goshaipur near the Bagdogra Airport citing congestion.

This change did not sit well with the President, who said she was “very sad that the people here were unable to reach the conference because it was held so far away".

“Perhaps the administration had hoped that no one would be able to attend, and the President would simply turn around and leave,” Murmu, who belongs to the Santhal community, said while addressing a gathering at Phansidewa near Siliguri. “Mamata didi is like my younger sister. Maybe she is miffed with me and that’s why the program was held so far. But never mind,” President Murmu said.

Later, CM Mamata Banerjee accused the President of playing politics “at the BJP's behest”.