No entry in VVIP zone, Sukanta walks on foot to greet PM; TMC takes dig

A political firestorm has erupted in West Bengal after Union Minister of State, Sukanta Majumdar, was allegedly barred from entering the VVIP zone at Dum Dum Airport to see off Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident, which forced Majumdar to walk on foot to reach the Prime Minister, has sparked a major controversy, with the minister himself expressing strong dissatisfaction and questioning the protocol. The incident highlights the persistent political friction between the state's ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the BJP.

Prime Minister Modi was in Kolkata for a two-day Combined Commanders’ Conference and was scheduled to depart for Bihar after the event. According to protocol, both a state minister and a Union Minister were at the airport to bid him farewell. While West Bengal's Fire and Emergency Services Minister, Sujit Bose, had his convoy allowed into the VVIP zone without any issues, Majumdar's convoy was stopped at the gate. This differential treatment is at the core of the controversy.

A visibly irate Majumdar spoke to the media outside the airport, recounting the incident. He stated that his convoy was denied entry and when he asked the police officer on duty for a reason, he was told that a "Madam" had given the order. When he pressed for the identity of the "Madam," the officer replied it was the "DC" (Deputy Commissioner). Majumdar then questioned the authority of a DC to bar a Union Minister's vehicle from a designated zone, especially when a state minister's vehicle was allowed.

The Trinamool Congress has been quick to seize on the incident, using it as an opportunity to mock the BJP and Majumdar. Kunal Ghosh, the state general secretary for TMC, took a direct jab at Majumdar, remarking, "Dilip Babu must be sitting at home and thinking, 'See how it feels!'" referring to the political rivalry within the BJP's state unit. Another TMC leader, Arup Chakraborty, added more fuel to the fire, suggesting that the incident indicates Majumdar's diminished standing within his own party.

Chakraborty claimed that a list of individuals authorized to greet the Prime Minister is prepared beforehand and that the incident shows that Majumdar's name might not have been on it. He went on to insinuate that Majumdar is only a "half-minister" in the eyes of the BJP high command, which is why he was allegedly not given the proper protocol. The comments from the TMC leaders have further intensified the political rhetoric, turning a protocol issue into a public spectacle of political one-upmanship.