PM Narendra Modi, BJP leaders slam Bengal govt over President protocol controversy

The controversy over protocol during President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to West Bengal has intensified, with several leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party launching sharp attacks on the state government.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking from Delhi, criticised the Trinamool Congress government led by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. He said the issue was not merely an administrative lapse but amounted to disrespect toward the country’s democracy and Constitution. The remarks come amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

Meanwhile, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who was visiting Siliguri, also criticised the Bengal government. He said the people of the state would respond to what he described as an insult to the President, adding that the women of Bengal would give a fitting reply in due course. BJP MP Sanjay Jaiswal also targeted Mamata Banerjee, alleging that the chief minister had deliberately disrespected the President. He claimed that Murmu was being insulted despite holding the country’s highest constitutional office. Samrat Choudhary further said that the controversy was not just about the President but also about the dignity of a tribal woman. He asserted that the people of Bengal would respond politically in the coming months.

The political confrontation over the issue continues to intensify, adding a new dimension to the rivalry between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress ahead of the elections.