Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan has directed West Bengal Chief Secretary to submit a detailed report by 5:00 pm on Sunday (March 8) on alleged lapses in protocol for receiving President Droupadi Murmu, including the venue shift for the 9th International Santal Conference in Darjeeling and related arrangements, officials confirmed. This move escalates a fierce political storm after Murmu voiced dismay over the event’s remote location, which sidelined many Santal community members and the absence of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her ministers. The President’s candid remarks- “If the President visits, the Chief Minister should come”- and her emotional note as a “daughter of Bengal” have ignited accusations from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of deliberate insult, while Trinamool Congress (TMC) dismisses it as BJP’s election ploy.
