‘Snub’ of President in Bengal akin to insult of entire country, all women: Odisha CM

Bhubaneswar, Mar 8 (PTI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday slammed the West Bengal government over the reported snub of President Droupadi Murmu during her visit to the neighbouring state, saying it is an “insult” to all women and the entire country.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Majhi alleged that when the first citizen of India went to West Bengal to attend the 9th International Santal Conference, she was insulted by the Bengal government.

“Forget about felicitating her……neither the chief minister nor any state leader went to receive her. The insult of the President is like the insult of every woman and the country as a whole,” said Majhi, who hails from the Santhal community.

Murmu, during a visit to north Bengal on Saturday, questioned the pace of development among tribals in parts of the state, and wondered whether the CM was “upset” as neither she nor any state minister was present to receive her.

The Odisha CM termed the West Bengal chief minister as “insensitive” and said, "The way the West Bengal government has insulted the President, all political parties in the state should condemn it in one voice. It is against the spirit of a healthy democracy,” Majhi said.

The Odisha CM, in a social media post on Saturday, said, "Smt Droupadi Murmu Ji, the daughter of our soil, who rose from Rairangpur to Rashtrapati Bhavan, represents the aspirations and pride of millions. As a member of the Santhal community, this hurtful action of the TMC government of West Bengal has also created a deeper sense of anguish and hurt within me and the entire Odia populace." Stating that the abrupt shifting of venue cannot be dismissed as mere "logistical issues", Majhi had said such actions raised serious concerns and conveyed an unfortunate message when an event, where the President herself was to grace the occasion as the chief guest, was subjected to such disruptions.

The President's programme was initially scheduled to be held at Phansidewa but was later shifted to a venue close to the 'Uttoran Township' at Bidhannagar, a few kilometres away from Bagdogra airport, citing security protocols, a senior official of the West Bengal government said.

BJP MP of Puri, Sambit Patra, who attended the Puri event on Sunday, also protested the alleged disrespect shown to the President by the West Bengal government.

“Murmu is a mother of the soil and the pride of Odisha and the tribal community. I protest the behaviour shown to her in West Bengal, which is not right,” Patra said.

The Odia and Bengali people in West Bengal will give a befitting reply to such behaviour to the President in the coming days, the MP said. PTI BBM BBM NN