Centre seeks reply from Bengal govt over ‘protocol lapses’ during Droupadi Murmu visit

In a letter to the state’s chief secretary, Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan sought clarification on alleged violations of the ‘Blue Book’ guidelines governing protocol, venue, and route arrangements during the President’s visit.

NDTV, citing sources, reported that the Centre flagged the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the chief secretary, and the director general of police when the President arrived in the state.

Officials said the absence of the top functionaries is considered a serious violation of the Blue Book rules.

The Centre also sought an explanation after the washroom arranged for the President reportedly did not have water, reports said.

The state administration has also been asked to clarify why the route chosen for the President’s movement was allegedly littered with garbage.

The issue has drawn political reactions as well. N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed “anguish” over the alleged breach of protocol during the visit.

He said the office of the President represents the dignity of the Republic and must always be treated with the highest respect and courtesy.

President Droupadi Murmu sparked discussion during her visit to West Bengal on Saturday after she wondered aloud whether Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee might be upset with her.

Speaking at Gosainpur in the Phansidewa area of north Bengal, Murmu described Banerjee as someone close to her and expressed uncertainty over why she faced difficulties attending certain programmes in the state.

“Mamata didi is like my sister, younger sister. Maybe she is angry with me,” Murmu said during her address.

The President was on a two-day visit to the state and attended the International Santhal Conclave in the region.

Event venue shift raises questions

Murmu made the remarks while speaking at the conclave held at Gosainpur in Phansidewa, located about 576 kilometres north of Kolkata.

Organisers had initially planned to hold the event in Bidhannagar, near Siliguri, an area with a significant Santhal population.

However, according to reports, local authorities did not grant permission for the programme to take place there, and organisers then shifted the venue to Gosainpur.

While addressing the gathering, Murmu raised questions about the event's arrangements and nature.

“How should an international Santhal conference look like?” she asked, noting that several members of the Santhal community were standing outside the venue.

She added that she had noticed many Santhal attendees were unable to enter the event site.

“I feel somebody is stopping them from entering,” Murmu said. “While on the way, I kept thinking — is this an international conference? Somebody does not want the Santhal to stand united.”

After the Gosainpur event concluded, Murmu travelled to Bidhannagar, where she interacted with local residents and addressed people without a formal stage.

During the interaction, she said the location in Bidhannagar appeared more suitable for hosting the international gathering due to its open and spacious environment.

“I do not know what happened with the administration. We came here quite easily. They had told us this place was congested,” Murmu said.

She suggested that a significantly larger gathering could have been accommodated at the site.

“I feel five lakh people could have assembled here. I do not know why they took us there. Not many of our brothers and sisters from here could attend,” she added.

Murmu said she visited the area to observe the living conditions and community life of the Santhal population in the region.