President Murmu ‘insult’ row to feature in BJP’s Bengal campaign: Rahul Sinha

Kolkata, Mar 9 (PTI) The BJP will make the alleged "insult" to President Droupadi Murmu a central theme of its election campaign in Adivasi and Santhal-dominated districts of West Bengal, senior party leader Rahul Sinha said on Monday.

According to Sinha, the party plans to use its ongoing 'Parivartan Yatra' as a platform to highlight what it described as the state government's "disrespect" towards the President, particularly in tribal belts such as Bankura and Purulia.

Sinha accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the state government of failing to maintain proper protocol during Murmu's recent visit and termed the incident an affront to the tribal community.

"The chief minister and her government should have apologised for what they did," Sinha said, alleging that "insulting the Adivasi community and their representative, Droupadi Murmu, is part of the TMC culture." He said the BJP would take the issue to the grassroots level through its campaign programmes.

"We will take the message of this insult to the Adivasi people door-to-door through our Parivartan Yatra," he said.

Invoking the legacy of tribal icons, Sinha said the community would react strongly to the episode.

"The descendants of Birsa Munda and Sidhu-Kanhu will not tolerate this insult to their representative," he added.

The BJP is seeking to consolidate support among tribal voters in districts such as Bankura, Purulia, Jhargram and parts of Paschim Medinipur ahead of the assembly elections.

The controversy erupted after the BJP alleged that the state government had breached protocol during Murmu's recent visit to West Bengal. The ruling Trinamool Congress, however, rejected the allegation and accused the saffron party of attempting to politicise the President's name for electoral gains. PTI BSM MNB