Kolkata, March 7 (NationPress) The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, strongly criticized Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday, following President Droupadi Murmu's dissatisfaction regarding the government's decision to allocate a smaller venue for the 9th International Santal Conference in Gossaipur, located in the Darjeeling district where she was the chief guest.

In a post on X, Adhikari remarked, "The charade presently taking place in West Bengal serves as a grave indictment of Mamata Banerjee's faltering regime; it represents a blatant violation of constitutional principles and tribal respect."

Originally, the President's event was planned for Phansidewa in the same district. However, the venue was unexpectedly changed to the smaller Gossaipur location after the state administration allegedly refused permission for the program at Phansidewa citing security issues.

President Murmu voiced her discontent regarding the abrupt venue switch. She also noted that neither Chief Minister Banerjee nor any of her cabinet members greeted her during her state visit, which contradicts the established traditions and protocols for presidential visits.

In support of the President, Adhikari stated, "In a display that violates every protocol standard, our respected President, Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji, was compelled to express her rare but valid disappointment over the inadequate arrangements and glaring snubs during her visit to Siliguri. There was no red carpet of respect, no state apparatus present, just the hollow reminders of the TMC Government's disregard."

Continuing his criticism of Mamata Banerjee regarding this incident, the BJP leader further emphasized, "Even worse, the Mamata Banerjee Administration obstructed the International Santhali Conclave, an event attended by the Honorable President as the chief guest. Was permission denied? Or was it simply neglected? This act signifies a deliberate disregard for Santhali voices and heritage. Where were Mamata Banerjee and her ministers? Absent, with no protocol followed or courtesy shown. The highest office of the land has been reduced to an afterthought."

He claimed that this was not just an oversight but rather an orchestrated act of contempt. "When you look deeper, it reeks of Mamata Banerjee's unmasked anti-tribal animosity. Recall how she stood in the Vidhansabha to vote against Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji in the presidential elections? She couldn't accept it then, and she still can't, that for the first time since independence, a resilient tribal woman has reached the pinnacle of our Republic," he added.

Adhikari concluded by asserting that West Bengal's Chief Minister has "morphed into Bengal's divider; inherently anti-tribal, resistant to accountability, and the architect of institutional chaos. It is time for change. It is time for dignity."