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President Murmu flags venue shift at Santhal Conference, says Bengal CM didn’t attend
The President also questioned whether the area, which has a dominant tribal population, was witnessing any development.
President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday expressed displeasure over the venue chosen for the 9th International Santhal Conference, saying West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee might have been upset and that she did not attend the programme despite it being scheduled much earlier.
“Generally, it is seen that when the President comes, the chief minister and other ministers remain present. But the chief minister madam didn’t come. Even I am the daughter of Bengal. I am not allowed to visit Bengal. Mamata didi is like my younger sister. Maybe she is miffed with me and that’s why the program was held so far. But never mind,” President Murmu said.
Officials, requesting anonymity, said that even though the President’s programme was initially supposed to be held at Phansidewa, it was later shifted near Uttoran Township at Bidhannagar Majhi Than, a few kilometres away, citing security protocols.
Also read: Voter deletions are an attempt to divide Bengal: Mamata Banerjee on day 2 of dharna
Addressing a gathering at Phansidewa near Siliguri in north Bengal, the President said, “It would have been better had the programme been held at this place. It is such a huge field. I don’t know what the administration thought. They had stated that this area was congested, but I came here easily. But I feel that 5,00,000 people could gather here.”
“I don’t know what came to their mind that they shifted the venue where Santhal people couldn’t go. I didn’t like the ambience there, so I came here. I was disheartened. But I was happy when I came here. The venue (where the programme was arranged) was far and people couldn’t reach,” the President added.
“They must have thought that the President would leave soon after coming, as there won’t be any audience. Even if they had thought this way, then thank you. The Governor couldn’t come because there has been a change. The date for the programme was fixed much earlier and hence I came,” she said.
Meanwhile, Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Banerjee’s dharna outside Kolkata’s Esplanade metro station to protest the alleged arbitrary deletion of several million people during the SIR of electoral rolls entered its second day on Saturday.
Senior police officials of Darjeeling district refused to comment on the President’s remarks.
The President also questioned whether the area, which has a dominant tribal population, was witnessing any development. “I don’t think the Santhals and Adivasis in this area are witnessing any development,” Murmu said.
The TMC posted on X while listing some of the projects undertaken by the Mamata Banerjee government for the Scheduled Tribes: “It is extremely unfortunate that the Hon’ble President appears to be under the misinformed impression that there has been no development for Adivasi communities in Bengal.”
This triggered a political row between the TMC and the BJP.
Also read: President Murmu's ‘upset’ remark leads to PM Modi vs CM Mamata over Bengal tribal event
“This is a shame for Bengal. It is because of the TMC and its supremo Mamata Banerjee that the state had to face this. The President is above all kinds of politics. But the TMC-led government refused to provide a venue for her program. The venue was changed four times, which is as good as not providing a venue. What more insult can the TMC do to the President? Such remarks from the President are like a slap on the Mamata government’s face,” senior BJP leader and Union minister Sukanta Majumdar said.
“The President should direct her remarks towards the BJP and the Election Commission. The chief minister had to hit the streets because the BJP and ECI engaged in such shameless acts,” TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said.
“These remarks made by the President are scripted and politically motivated,” Siliguri mayor and veteran TMC leader Gautam Deb said.
Reacting to President Murmu's remarks, chief minister Mamata Banerjee said, “We respect the President and have great regard. But even the President was sent to sell politics and the BJP’s agenda. You have been trapped by the BJP. Do we have no work other than regularly receiving guests and accompanying them? If you come once a year, I would receive you. But if you come 50 times a year, how can I give you so much time? I am holding a demonstration for the people over SIR, how can I attend your program? You are the BJP’s priority, the people are my priority."
“You never said a word when tribals in Manipur were tortured. Did the BJP ask you? Why didn’t you protest when there are atrocities on tribals in Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh? Many tribal voters were removed from the electoral-roll. You never uttered a word on SIR. Don’t play politics at the time of elections on BJP’s instructions," she added.
