TMC not only insulted President Murmu, but also tribals and Constitution: PM Modi

Kolkata: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the ruling TMC of “crossing all limits” by insulting President Droupadi Murmu, alleging that the party had disrespected not only the head of the state but also the country’s tribals and the Constitution.

Modi’s remarks come in the backdrop of the recent controversy surrounding Murmu’s visit to north Bengal last week.

The President had expressed displeasure over the last-minute change of venue of her programme near Siliguri and questioned why neither Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nor any state minister was present at the airport to receive her.

“The TMC has not just insulted the President, but it has insulted the country’s tribals, the people of this country and the Constitution. The TMC has crossed all limits by insulting President Droupadi Murmu,” Modi said while addressing a mega rally at the Brigade Parade Ground here.

The PM said the President had come to the state to participate in a Santhal tribal festival, but the programme was “mishandled” by the state government.

Launching a blistering attack on the state government, Modi alleged that tribals, Dalits and the poor were the worst affected under the present dispensation in West Bengal.

“Under this ruthless government, the most tormented today are the Dalits, Adivasis and our poor brothers and sisters here. The injustice done to the Adivasi community is not hidden from anyone. But now, the TMC government has crossed all limits,” he said.

“Just a few days ago, the President of our country, the esteemed daughter of the Adivasi community, Honourable Droupadi Murmu Ji, came to Bengal. She was to participate in the sacred festival of the Santhal Adivasi tradition, but this ruthless government, steeped in arrogance, not only boycotted that programme but handed it over entirely to utter chaos,” he said.

“Because a daughter of the Adivasi community holds such a high position, the TMC folks could not accept her honour,” Modi alleged.

Stressing that the alleged disrespect to Murmu amounted to an insult to millions of tribals and women, Modi said the people of West Bengal would hold the TMC government accountable for what he described as an affront to the Constitution and to Babasaheb B R Ambedkar.

Alleging atrocities against marginalised communities, the Prime Minister claimed that tribals and Dalits in the state had faced several forms of injustice.

“We all know the kinds of atrocities that have been unleashed on the tribals and Dalits in the state,” he said.

The issue triggered a political storm in the state, with the BJP stepping up its attack on the TMC ahead of the assembly elections, accusing the ruling party of insulting the country’s first tribal President, a charge the Trinamool Congress has strongly denied.