The political controversy surrounding President Droupadi Murmu and the West Bengal government intensified on Sunday after Abhishek Banerjee displayed a photograph at a rally in Mathurapur, South 24 Parganas.
The All India Trinamool Congress leader general secretary showed an image in which the President was seen standing while Prime Minister Narendra Modi and veteran BJP leader Lal Krishna Advani were seated during a ceremony. The photograph was shown on a large screen during the rally.
The development comes amid an ongoing political dispute over alleged mismanagement during the President's recent visit to Siliguri.
Abhishek Banerjee accuses BJP of politicising President's office
Addressing the rally, Abhishek Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of using the President's office for political attacks against the state government.
"Such is the country's misfortune - the office of the President, which is far above politics, even that position they did not spare. Yesterday, they made her launch a political attack on Mamata Banerjee's government. They are saying our government has insulted the President. Why? Mamata Banerjee is fighting for the interests of common people; she sat in a dharna. She did not go to receive the President," he said.
Abhishek Banerjee also told the gathering that the photograph had been posted by the Press Information Bureau, the government's official communication agency.
Showing the image, he questioned who was actually disrespecting the President and the country.
"Who is insulting the President? Who is insulting the country? Who is insulting Bengalis and Bengal?" he said.
References to national issues and Satyapal Malik's remarks
During his speech, Abhishek Banerjee also referred to unrest in Manipur and alleged that the President had remained silent during the crisis.
He further claimed that the President had not been invited to the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya or the new Parliament House of India.
Quoting an interview of former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik, Banerjee said the list of people the President meets is prepared by the Prime Minister's Secretariat.
The controversy began after President Murmu attended a programme in Siliguri on Saturday. The dispute initially arose over a change in the venue of that event.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Home Affairs asked the West Bengal government to submit a report. State Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty has been directed to provide details of what happened during the programme.
