KOLKATA: The ongoing confrontation between the Centre and the West Bengal government over the alleged breach of protocol during Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to Darjeeling district escalated after the Union Ministry of Home Affairs decided to bring two senior officials to Delhi on central deputation.
The ministry has asked the West Bengal government to release Manish Mishra, the district magistrate of Darjeeling, and C Sudhakar, Commissioner of Police of Siliguri.
The West Bengal government issued a notification on March 12 removing Mishra from the post of district magistrate and transferring him to the Home and Hill Affairs Department. He has been released for the central government assignment on deputation. However, the state government has not yet taken any decision regarding Sudhakar.
Some senior officials in the state home department believe Mishra’s removal may be linked to the Home Ministry’s move to bring both Mishra and Sudhakar on central deputation.
The Home Ministry has taken the issue of the alleged security lapse and breach of protocol during President Murmu’s visit to Siliguri seriously, which led to the decision to take such a step.
Meanwhile, Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party, said he raised the issue of the alleged “insult” of the President by the state government during his first meeting with the new Governor R N Ravi at Lok Bhavan, earlier known as Raj Bhavan.
Adhikari also welcomed the decision of Rashtrapati Bhavan not to give an appointment to MPs of the ruling All India Trinamool Congress who wanted to brief the President about the Bengal government’s welfare initiatives.
The BJP leader said he raised the “issue of insult of the President by the Mamata Banerjee government” during his courtesy meeting with the new Governor.
The controversy began after the President expressed disappointment over the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her cabinet colleagues at Bagdogra Airport when she arrived to attend an international tribal conference.
Adhikari also said he urged the governor to ensure a complete halt to illegal immigration of Bangladeshi Muslims into West Bengal in the interest of national security.
On March 9, the state government submitted a report to the Centre explaining the circumstances surrounding the alleged breach of protocol during President Murmu’s visit to Siliguri. State Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty sent the report to Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan along with documents detailing the sequence of events related to the incident.
The report also explained why the Chief Minister was not present at the programme and informed the Centre about the reasons for shifting the venue of the International Indigenous and Santhal Conference during the President’s visit.
The Centre had sought clarification from the state government on the same day after President Murmu and Mamata Banerjee exchanged sharp remarks following the President’s claim that the state government tried to foil her visit, while the Chief Minister accused her of playing politics at the behest of the BJP ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.
President Murmu had criticised the state government for changing the venue of the tribal community event she attended in north Bengal. The International Santhal Council Conference was held on March 8 at a ground near Bagdogra Airport in Gosainpur instead of the earlier planned venue in Bidhannagar.
She also expressed disappointment over the low turnout at the event and questioned the decision to shift the venue. She further noted the absence of the Chief Minister and her ministers during the visit.
“Had the programme been held there (Bidhanagar) it would have been better. There is ample space there. But I do not know why the state administration did not permit the meeting there. Today’s programme is being held at such a place that it is difficult for people to come,” she said on Saturday.
“Mamata is like younger sister. I am also a daughter of West Bengal. But I do not know why I was not allowed to come here. I do not know whether she (Mamata) is upset, and that is why the venue was shifted,” she said.