New Delhi,: Prme Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday criticised the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the alleged mismanagement of an event attended by President Droupadi Murmu in West Bengal, calling the incident an “insult” to the dignity of the country’s highest constitutional office.
Speaking during the inauguration of a project related to the Delhi Metro, the Prime Minister accused the ruling TMC government in West Bengal of allowing administrative lapses at the 9th International Santal Conference held in Darjeeling.
He said the alleged mismanagement at the event and the reported boycott by TMC leaders reflected arrogance and “dirty politics”.
PM accuses TMC of insulting President
Addressing the gathering, Modi said that insulting the dignity of the President was unacceptable and warned that such behaviour would not be forgiven by the people.
“It is said in our country that no matter how powerful a person is, he is ultimately destroyed by ego. The dirty politics and arrogance of power of the TMC, which insulted the dignity of a tribal President, will soon be shattered,” the Prime Minister said.
He added that the people of West Bengal would not forgive the alleged insult to the President, particularly because she represents both the nation and the tribal community.
Modi said the incident had hurt those who believe in democratic values and respect for constitutional institutions.
Event attended by President in Darjeeling
President Droupadi Murmu had visited Darjeeling in West Bengal on March 7 to attend the 9th International Santal Conference, an event focused on the culture, heritage and development of the Santal tribal community.
During the visit, the President reportedly expressed dissatisfaction over the arrangements made for the programme.
According to reports, she raised concerns about the venue being smaller than expected and criticised the sudden change in the location of the event.
Murmu also reportedly conveyed displeasure regarding the overall management of the programme.
Modi’s remarks on social media
The Prime Minister also addressed the issue on social media platform X, describing the alleged mismanagement as “shameful” and “unprecedented”.
He said the incident had caused pain among citizens who respect democratic institutions and support the empowerment of tribal communities.
“The anguish and concern expressed by the President, who herself comes from the tribal community, have deeply hurt people across India,” he said.
Modi further alleged that the administration under the TMC government had crossed all limits by allowing such a situation to occur during the President’s visit.
TMC counters BJP’s criticism
The controversy quickly triggered a political exchange between the ruling party at the Centre and the West Bengal government.
Leaders of the Trinamool Congress rejected the allegations and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politicising the issue.
TMC Member of Parliament Sagarika Ghose criticised the Prime Minister and the BJP, claiming that they were misusing the constitutional office of the President for political purposes.
In a video shared on social media, Ghose said the BJP leadership should apologise to the people of India for allegedly dragging the President’s office into political debates.
She also demanded that the Prime Minister apologise to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and to members of the Santal community.
Debate over politicisation of the issue
The Trinamool Congress further alleged that the controversy was being amplified for political gains.
Party leaders argued that the office of the President should remain above partisan politics and warned against using it in political confrontations.
They also claimed that the BJP was attempting to portray the incident in a manner that would create political controversy ahead of upcoming electoral contests.
Tribal representation and political sensitivity
President Droupadi Murmu, who belongs to the Santhal tribal community, is India’s first tribal President.
Her presence at the International Santal Conference was viewed as symbolically significant for the tribal community and for discussions related to their cultural heritage and socio-economic development.
The incident has therefore attracted considerable attention in political circles as well as among community leaders.
Observers say the controversy reflects the continuing political rivalry between the BJP-led central government and the TMC-led West Bengal administration.
Political reactions likely to continue
As the debate intensifies, both sides are expected to continue defending their positions.
While the BJP has framed the issue as an insult to the dignity of the President and the Constitution, the TMC has countered that the matter is being politicised.
The development highlights the increasingly sharp political exchanges between major parties over issues involving constitutional offices and governance.
The controversy surrounding the event is likely to remain a subject of political discussion in the coming days, particularly in West Bengal where both parties maintain strong political stakes.