Murmu-Mamata row: BJP calls TMC ‘fake news factory’, hits back with rulebook over insult to President | India News
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party On Monday, Mamata Banerjee’s leadership struck back Trinamool CongressThe West Bengal Chief Minister has called the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “fake news factory” after accusing them of insulting the President. Draupadi Murmu.The row began after the President expressed displeasure with the way things were handled during his Bengal visit to attend an international tribal conference near Siliguri, including a change of venue and the absence of senior state representatives to receive him at the Bagdogra airport.
The BJP’s West Bengal unit responded to Banerjee’s allegation that Prime Minister Modi insulted the President from a sitting position while he stood to present an award to BJP leader LK Advani, saying in a post on X that the claim was misleading and accused the TMC of spreading misinformation.“It’s TMC’s fake news factory again. Truth behind TMC’s manufactured outrage,” the party said.“As per the official protocol during the presentation of the Bharat Ratna Awards, others present remain seated during the presentation of the awards. There was absolutely no breach of dignity,” the post added.The BJP also said, “It is shameful that TMC is once again trying to twist a dignified moment involving Hon’ble President Smt. Draupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Bharat Ratna Shri LK Advani for petty politics. Instead of spreading misinformation, respect the dignity of the highest constitutional post.”The political exchange intensified earlier on Sunday after Prime Minister Modi accused the TMC government of “insulting” a tribal woman president.Responding to a protest in Kolkata, Banerjee rejected the allegations and questioned the timing of the criticism, suggesting it was politically motivated ahead of state assembly elections.Banerjee also displayed an enlarged photo of an event showing the Prime Minister seated while the President stood nearby to present the Bharat Ratna award to veteran BJP leader LK Advani, saying it contradicted the BJP’s allegations.“The picture shows that the PM is sitting when the President is standing. We never do that. It is the BJP that carries the culture of insulting the President, not us,” he claimed while presenting the picture as “proof”.“You are targeting Bengal by saying whatever you want on the eve of assembly elections. Why? Why? Why?” He added from a sit-in platform in central Kolkata.He reiterated that the state government had “full respect for the President’s chair and the Constitution of India, which we consider our mother; don’t blame us”.The chief minister also denied any violation of protocol during Murmur’s visit and said the state government was not informed about the details of the event by the organizers.According to Banerjee, if there was mismanagement at the venue, including littering, greenroom issues and the absence of women’s toilets, the responsibility rested with the private organizers and the Airport Authority of India, whose premises the event was held on.“We didn’t pick the venue, you did,” he said.Banerjee added that Siliguri Mayor Gautam Dev was present at the Bagdogra airport to welcome the President and maintained that protocol was followed. Explaining his absence, he said, “I am sitting on dharna to protect human rights, how can I leave?”
