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New Delhi: Day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a two-year-old photograph where he is seen sitting, while the President stands, the BJP has hit back with a fact-check on the episode, saying that there was “absolutely no breach of decorum”.

Banerjee showed the photo at a sit-in protest in central Kolkata in an attempt to show the mirror to PM Modi on how far he respects the President.  

“The country's first tribal woman President stands while the Prime Minister sits comfortably in his chair,” the TMC posted on X, to amplify Banerjee's point. The BJP West Bengal responded to it on Monday saying, “As per official protocol during the presentation of Bharat Ratna award, others present remain seated while the award is being conferred.”

Hitting out at the TMC, it added, “It is shameful that @AITCofficial is once again trying to twist a dignified moment involving the Hon’ble President Smt. Droupadi Murmu,  PM Shri Narendra Modi and Bharat Ratna Shri LK Advani for petty politics.”

The Photo

At the event on Sunday, two Trinamool leaders held up the photograph featuring President Murmu, Prime Minister Modi, and BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani, clicked on March 31, 2024. The President and the Prime Minister had met Advani at his residence and bestowed the Bharat Ratna on him. During this episode, the camera caught PM Modi seated while President Murmu was standing.

Here's What Mamata Said

In a sharp retort to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charges against her on International Women's Day, over the controversy around the visit of President Droupadi Murmu in West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee showed the picture at the event and said, “President is standing and Prime Minister is sitting. We never do it. Even if a single woman comes, we stand up out of respect.”

“We give full respect to the Chair, we give full respect to our Constitution. Our Constitution is our mother, our Constitution is for our country. We don't disrespect our Chair. We always give due respect to the Chair. You are targeting Bengal only because election is coming!” the Chief Minister had said.

PM Modi's Charges

Earlier on Sunday, while addressing a public event in the national capital, PM Modi accused the TMC government of showing "gross disrespect" towards President Droupadi Murmu. PM Modi said that while President Murmu had visited the state to attend a celebration honouring the Santhal tribal tradition, the Trinamool Congress allegedly boycotted the event. He further said that the event held special significance for the President and the tribal community, since President Murmu herself comes from a tribal background.

"Today, as the nation celebrates International Women's Day, it is deeply concerning that just yesterday, the TMC government in West Bengal demonstrated gross disrespect towards the honourable President of India, Droupadi Murmu. President Murmu ji visited Bengal to attend a significant celebration honouring the Santhal tribal tradition. However, the TMC chose to boycott this sacred and important event, which holds great meaning for both the President and the tribal community, given that the President herself is from a tribal background and has shown deep concern for the Santhal community," PM Modi said.

"The TMC government's actions not only resulted in the mismanagement of the event but also constituted an affront to the President, the Constitution, and the noble tradition of democracy in our country," he added.

What Was the Controversy About

The controversy over disrepecting the President and the Santhal community was triggered when President Murmu expressed displeasure with the West Bengal government for not receiving her upon arrival, and not attending her tribal community event in north Bengal's Darjeeling. The episode quickly snowballed into a full-blown political confrontation between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP, just ahead of the state assembly elections.

Banerjee clarified that the area where the event was held belongs to the Airport Authority of India and if the President had felt anything out of place, the fault lies with the organizers of the private event. The Trinamool Congress supremo even got to the alleged root of the controversy saying that issue has only flared up because the assembly elections are around the corner.