President Murmu Questions Mamata’s Absence at Santhali Conclave
A political controversy erupted in West Bengal after Droupadi Murmu expressed disappointment over the arrangements for the 9th International Santhali Conclave, triggering a sharp exchange between the Centre and the state government led by Mamata Banerjee.
The event, attended by the President near Siliguri, had originally been scheduled to take place in Bidhannagar but was shifted to a smaller venue in Goshaipur near Bagdogra Airport due to alleged congestion, officials said.
Addressing the gathering, President Murmu said she was “very sad” that many members of the tribal community could not attend because the venue was moved far from the originally planned location. Murmu, who belongs to the Santhal community, also noted the absence of the chief minister and other state ministers at the programme.
“Generally when the President visits, the chief minister and ministers remain present. But the chief minister did not come,” Murmu said, adding that she considered Mamata Banerjee like a “younger sister” and wondered whether the West Bengal leader was “upset” with her.
The remarks quickly escalated into a political flashpoint after Narendra Modi strongly criticised the Trinamool Congress government.
Calling the episode “shameful and unprecedented,” the Prime Minister said the West Bengal administration had crossed all limits and was responsible for what he described as an “insult to the President.”
“The pain and anguish expressed by Rashtrapati Ji, who herself comes from a tribal community, has saddened people across the country,” PM Modi wrote on social media.
He further criticised the state government for allegedly treating a culturally significant tribal event casually, adding that the dignity of the President’s office must remain above politics.
The Trinamool Congress government, however, rejected the criticism, with Mamata Banerjee hitting back at the Centre and accusing the ruling party of politicising the issue.
The controversy has reignited political tensions between the Centre and the West Bengal government, with the opposition accusing Banerjee of disrespecting the country’s highest constitutional office and failing to honour an important tribal cultural event.
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