In a rarepublic rebuke—possibly her first since becoming President of India—Droupadi Murmu criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for shifting the venue of the Ninth International Santal Conference in Darjeeling to a remote location with poor access. Two days before the event, the local administration had flagged lax preparations at the new site, apparently in an attempt to persuade the President to cancel the trip. Yet she chose to go ahead, saying “the date was fixed”. The episode was striking also because Murmu herself belongs to the Santal community and comes from a humble background. Administrative lapses were visible along the conference route as well, with litter left uncleared despite it being standard practice before VIP visits.
With state Assembly elections approaching, the episode had the potential to acquire political overtones, particularly among sections of tribal voters, putting the ruling Trinamool Congress on guard. The political sensitivity is heightened by allegations that a sizeable number of tribal names have been removed in the ongoing special intensive revision of electoral rolls. The precise electoral impact is difficult to estimate. However, the perception of political discomfort had already taken shape, and it came on the eve of International Women’s Day—an added layer of symbolism given that both the President and the chief minister are women occupying the highest offices.
The local administration had earlier rejected the original venue sought by the organisers in Bidhannagar, Phansidewa—a tribal region—as too congested. On her return after the event, Murmu stopped at Bidhannagar and found no such congestion. Instead, the ground appeared large enough to accommodate lakhs of people. Speaking impromptu to the curious tribal crowd, she called the administration’s claim false and sharply reminded the state government of the ‘Blue Book’ on presidential protocol. The manual mandates that a visiting President be received by the governor, the chief minister and the council of ministers, or at least by a minister-in-waiting. Yet no one turned up.
Never one to miss an opportunity, the BJP sought to capitalise on the controversy, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi holding the chief minister responsible for the perceived insult to the President. Banerjee responded with whataboutery. Ultimately, however, the office of the President must remain above political contestation. Parties would do well to step back from the immediate skirmish and focus on issues that matter more to voters. The dignity of the highest constitutional office must always be preserved.