Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday condemned the West Bengal government led by the Trinamool Congress (TMC), alleging that the party violated protocol and disrespected President Droupadi Murmu during her recent visit to the state. The remarks came after Modi inaugurated development projects worth around ₹33,500 crore in Delhi on International Women’s Day.
Modi accused the TMC of humiliating India’s first tribal woman President, saying that arrogance leads to downfall and that the people of Bengal would soon curb such misconduct. He described the episode as not merely a personal affront but a violation of the Indian Constitution, highlighting that the state administration deliberately allocated a small platform and changed it at the last minute, causing inconvenience to the President during a major Santal community celebration.
The Prime Minister emphasized that disrespecting a constitutional authority sets a dangerous precedent and cannot be overlooked. He warned that such acts undermine the dignity of the office and erode public trust in governance.
TMC swiftly responded, accusing the BJP of politicizing the matter. Party MP Saugorika Ghosh said the allegations were an attempt to use the President’s office for political gains, and demanded that Modi stop blaming the Mamata Banerjee government. The controversy follows reports that President Murmu had expressed dissatisfaction with arrangements at the 9th International Santal Conference in Darjeeling on March 7, turning the incident into a flashpoint in the BJP-TMC rivalry ahead of upcoming elections in West Bengal.