MHA seeks report from Mamata government over protocol lapses

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs MHA on Sunday sought a report from the Mamata Banerjeeled West Bengal government seeking details of the protocol violations during President Droupadi Murmus visit to the statePresident Murmu was the Chief Guest and the main speaker at International Santal Conclave Gossaipur in Darjeeling on SaturdaySources in the state secretariat Nabanna said that the main question raised by the MHA in its communique was why the state administration refused to permit the organisers of the conclave to hold the event at the original venue chosen by them and also why the venue of the event was changed at the last momentThe communication from the MHA had been sent to the office of the Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty and the state government had been asked to send a reply to the MHA by Sunday evening sources in the state secretariat saidNow it is to be seen when the state government replies to the communique and what the contents of the reply will beAccording to the state secretariat sources a directive was received by the states Chief Secretary on Sunday from Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan where the Chief Secretary was asked to send details over the fiasco over the Presidents event on Saturday and what the state administration did to address thatIn fact the President was supposed to arrive in North Bengal on Friday afternoon The visit was postponed due to some unavoidable reasonsThe President landed at Bagdogra airport at 1130 am on Saturday She was supposed to attend a function of the tribal community in the Phansidewa area near Siliguri in Darjeeling district but the venue was later changed to GossaipurFollowing the venue change controversy the President expressed her dissatisfaction Later she himself went to Phansidewa where the event was supposed to be held originally From there President Murmu resorted to mild criticism of the state administration while maintaining that Mamata Banerjee was like her younger sisterThe President also pointed out that neither the Chief Minister nor any of her Cabinet colleagues met her during her visit to the state which was against established traditions and protocols whenever the President visits a placeFollowing her statements a war of words broke out between BJP leaders and Chief Minister Mamata BanerjeePrime Minister Narendra Modi Union Home Minister Amit Shah and others slammed the Mamata government over the developmentThe Chief Minister countered such criticisms and said that no protocol was lapsed on the part of her administration during the Presidentrsquos visit to West BengalMamata also said the BJP was misusing the highest chair of the country for its own party agendaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever