BJP intensifies attack on TMC over ‘insult’ to President

With Assembly elections just around the corner, the rivalry between the aspirant BJP and the ruling TMC in West Bengal is now transcending beyond routine politics. The BJP on Sunday intensified its attack on the Mamata Banerjee government over what it described as a “grave insult” to President Droupadi Murmu during her visit to the state on Saturday.

Speaking at an event, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the “enlightened people” of West Bengal would never forgive the TMC for “insulting” a tribal woman who also holds the country’s highest constitutional office.

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“Droupadi Murmu had gone to Bengal to attend a major celebration of the Santhal community. But instead of honouring the President, the TMC boycotted this sacred and important event. She herself comes from the tribal community and has always been concerned about its development,” PM Modi said.

He also called the “poor management of the event by the state government” an insult to the President and the Constitution of India. “It is an insult to the spirit of the Constitution and the great tradition of democracy,” he said and accused the TMC of indulging in “dirty politics” and arrogance. “No matter how powerful a person is, ego ultimately leads to downfall. The arrogance of power shown by the TMC, which insulted the dignity of a tribal President, will soon be shattered,” he said, adding that the people of West Bengal, the tribal community and women across the country would not forgive the party.

The Prime Minister’s remarks followed President Murmu’s displeasure over the change of venue of a conference of the tribal Santhal community and the absence of the Chief Minister and her ministers during her visit. Banerjee, however, accused the President of speaking “on the advice of the BJP” and questioned her silence on alleged atrocities against tribals in states such as Manipur and Chhattisgarh.

Intending to keep the pressure by framing the episode not merely as a political dispute but as a breach of national protocol, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad accused the TMC-led administration of deliberately slighting the President. “I would request Mamata Banerjee to stop raising controversies about the Constitution being in danger. You cannot show respect to the President and at the same time talk about the Constitution being under threat,” he said, addressing a press conference.

Recently appointed chairperson of the Committee of Privileges, Prasad described the absence of the Chief Minister and senior ministers from the President’s scheduled events as a “grave violation of democratic decorum”. “The office of the President is the highest constitutional post in our country and stands above partisan politics,” he said. The apparent lack of respect shown to President Murmu — the first tribal person to hold the office — had sent a disturbing message, he added.

Observers say that by framing the protocol lapse as an insult to a President from a tribal community, the BJP is attempting to consolidate support among tribal voters and using this incident to reinforce its narrative that the TMC government does not respect national institutions or constitutional heads. Ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections, they add, such exchanges between the TMC and BJP are only expected to increase.