KOLKATA — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a fierce counter-offensive on Sunday, March 8, 2026, denying any breach of protocol during President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to Siliguri. Speaking from a protest site in central Kolkata, Banerjee shifted the blame for any logistical mismanagement onto private organisers and federal authorities, while simultaneously accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being the true architects of disrespect toward the head of state.
The controversy stems from President Murmu’s arrival in Bagdogra on Saturday to attend an international tribal conference. The President had publicly expressed “anguish” over the absence of the Chief Minister or any state cabinet ministers at the airport, as well as dissatisfaction with the last-minute change of venue to a smaller, poorly equipped plot near Bagdogra Airport. Prime Minister Narendra Modi intensified the friction earlier on Sunday, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government of “insulting” a tribal woman leader and the dignity of the presidential office.
Rebuttal with “Evidence”
In a dramatic visual display, Banerjee held up an enlarged photograph purportedly showing Prime Minister Modi and veteran leader LK Advani remaining seated at a previous event while President Murmu stood beside them. “This picture shows that the Prime Minister is seated when the President is standing. We never do that,” Banerjee claimed, asserting that the BJP, not the TMC, carries a “culture of insulting” the President. She maintained that her administration holds the utmost respect for the Constitution and the presidency.
Regarding her absence at the airport, Banerjee pointed out that she is currently leading a dharna (sit-in protest) to protect the rights of the people, which prevented her from travelling to North Bengal. She noted that Siliguri Mayor Goutam Deb was present at the airport to receive the President, which she argued honoured official protocol.
Logistical Blame and Political Targeting
Addressing the President’s complaints regarding the venue—which included reports of garbage, a malfunctioning green room, and a lack of facilities for women—Banerjee distanced the state government from the decision-making process. She asserted that the state was not taken into confidence by the private organisers of the tribal conference. According to the Chief Minister, the responsibility for the site choice and its subsequent upkeep lies solely with the event managers and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), on whose land the function was held.
“We did not pick the venue, you did,” Banerjee stated, addressing her critics directly. She further alleged that the entire controversy is being manufactured to target West Bengal on the eve of the upcoming Assembly elections. “You are targeting Bengal… by saying whatever pleases you. Why? Why? Why?” she questioned, suggesting that the timing of the “insult” narrative is politically motivated to sway voters.
The exchange marks a significant escalation in the ongoing friction between the Raj Bhavan, the Centre, and the West Bengal government, particularly following the recent resignation of Governor CV Ananda Bose. As the federal Home Ministry continues to seek a formal report on the protocol lapse, the political atmosphere in Bengal remains highly charged ahead of the Monday parliamentary session.
