Bhubaneswar: Days after criticising the reported snub of President Droupadi Murmu in Siliguri, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Wednesday wrote to his Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee, stressing India’s democratic traditions built on mutual respect and dignity.
“This incident has not only hurt the sentiments of millions of Adivasis, backward classes and Dalits across the country, but has also cast an avoidable shadow on the image of West Bengal, a land known for its culture, civility and respect for democratic institutions,” he wrote.
Majhi further stated the incident has caused deep pain to many across the country. “Coming just before International Women’s Day, the episode is particularly disturbing. The absence of basic courtesies d
uring the visit of the President, including changes in arrangements related to an event involving members of the tribal community, has been widely perceived as unfortunate and inconsistent with our constitutional values.”
The President’s programme, 9th International Santhal Conference, 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. Murmu had expressed dismay over the last-minute venue change and lamented that many Santhal community members could not attend due to the remote location. She also raised concerns about the absence of the Bengal Chief Minister and state ministers, calling it a deviation from constitutional protocol.
CM Majhi, who also belongs to the Santhal community, said that he felt extremely distressed over this incident. “I sincerely urge you to reflect on this matter and convey your regret to the President and to the people of the country. Such a gesture would help reaffirm our shared commitment to democratic norms and the dignity of constitutional offices,” he added.