A major political row has engulfed West Bengal after President Droupadi Murmu’s Darjeeling tour exposed glaring lapses in state hospitality, prompting Union Minister Kiren Rijiju to brand it a constitutional affront. ‘The President’s role is supra-political, the epitome of national esteem,’ Rijiju declared, mourning the episode as a tragedy for all India.
At the heart of the uproar: Murmu’s arrival at Siliguri’s Fansidewa for the Santhal Conference went unacknowledged by top state brass. The subsequent venue swap—from accommodating Bidhan Nagar to obscure Goshai pur—under ‘security’ pretext, crippled attendance and irked the President.
Speaking candidly, Murmu reflected, ‘This space fits half a million; why relegate us afar where Santhals can’t reach? Was it to ensure emptiness?’ She bewailed the CM’s absence: ‘Protocol demands presence. As Bengal’s own, with Mamata didi as sister, this baffles me—personal grudge?’
Rijiju’s X tirade was unrelenting. ‘First tribal Prez’s pain shames Bengal and beyond,’ he noted. His video share blasted the ‘humiliating ploy’ against an Adivasi icon as anti-Constitution, wounding his own heritage.
Contextually, this fits a pattern of BJP-TMC friction, with accusations of the state dimming the President’s tribal connect ahead of polls. Analysts see the snub as calculated, breaching norms for ceremonial visits.
Nationwide, reactions pour in supporting Rijiju, highlighting risks to federal harmony. The controversy spotlights tribal sensitivities and Presidency’s inviolability, potentially galvanizing Adivasi voters. It ends on a sobering note: politics must bow to constitutional grace, lest it erode public trust in institutions.