From her dharna stage, the West Bengal Chief Minister said, ” The President has been sent to Bengal following BJP’s instructions. I respect the President. I have great regard for her. I had information about the President’s visit while I was at the Bengal SIR dais.”
Expressing displeasure, President Murmu, who arrived in Siliguri on Saturday to address the 9th International Santhal Conference, said “It is generally seen when the President comes, Chief Minister and other ministers come. Governor has been changed… I am very sad. They could have come. They might have thought that there will be no one and the President will come and leave.”
The President had raised concern over the venue of the conference which was changed several times and people were reportedly prevented from entering.
Slamming the President, Banerjee even went on to say, “Do not say what is not courteous from your side. Do I not have any other work? I had no idea which organization was conducting what conference. I am sitting in the dharna against SIR,” Banerjee even questioned why the President was silent about Bengal SIR and asked her not to play politics following BJP’s advice. “Do you know how the names of tribals have been deleted from Bengal SIR?” CM questioned the President from her dharna rally.
Murmu even said that the venue was changed several times and the entry was even stopped. “The date was fixed, so I have come. I am also the daughter of Bengal. Mamata is my sister. So, no complaints,” President said. Murmu, however, said that she holds no grudges against Mamata who is ‘sister’. Darjeeling MP Raju Bista was seen standing with the President during her speech.
The Chief Minister and senior ministers generally receive the President upon arrival. Governor CV Ananda Bose was scheduled to attend this programme but he resigned on Thursday. “The President said that it is a matter of pride for the Santal community that Tilka Majhi raised the banner of revolt against exploitation nearly 240 years ago. Nearly 60 years after his revolt, the brave brothers Sido-Kanhu and Chand-Bhairav, along with the brave sisters Phoolo-Jhano, led the Santal Hul in 1855,” President’s X Handle said.
The President also pointed out that the people were being prevented from entering the conference venue and lack of arrangements for the event. “It is everyone’s country. Everyone, not only Santhals, should participate in such programmes,” Murmu said and mentioned that “no one wants her to come to Bengal”.
The President said in her speech that she does not feel that enough development of Adivasis happened in the region.
“Do not play politics during elections as per BJP’s advice. You should know how many tribal people were affected under BJP’s rigged SIR exercise, how many of them were removed,” Banerjee said. “See what we have done for tribal communities in Bengal and then look at what has happened to tribals in many other states.
“It is extremely unfortunate that the Hon’ble President appears to be under the misinformed impression that there has been no development for Adivasi communities in Bengal,” AITC posted in its X Handle and gave a list of development work done by the ruling party.
“GoWB has undertaken an initiative to establish ‘Sidhu Kanu Memorial (Santali Medium) Abasik Schools’, enabling children from the ST community to pursue education in their mother tongue..,” AITC posted, adding many more initiatives introduced by the Trinamool government.
Reacting sharply, former BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar said, “The failed Chief Minister of the state @MamataOfficial , along with her sycophantic and compliant administration, has crossed every conceivable limit of shamelessness and injustice. Their conduct is not merely condemnable—it has brought profound embarrassment to the people of West Bengal.”
“Today, the actions of the Mamata administration have forced the entire state to bow its head in shame, as the Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji, was compelled to publicly express her pain. This is not just an affront to the dignity of the President; it is a direct insult to the tribal community and a grave blow to the democratic values that our nation upholds,” Majumdar said.
