NEW DELHI: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee trained guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, accusing it of humiliating President Droupadi Murmu on caste grounds and ceding India’s strategic autonomy to the United States.Speaking at a party event, the Diamond Harbour MP said, “TMC National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee says, “When Manipur was burning for 3 years, the President was silent. When the Ram Mandir was inaugurated, she wasn’t invited because of her caste. The same happened when Parliament was inaugurated.”He further remarked that while the President is the one who is the supreme commander of the armed forces, it is the US President who is “dictating” the orders.“The Indian Armed Forces are under the President. When Pakistan and India fight, all orders are supposed to be given by her. But the US president is dictating these orders instead.”Banerjee’s comments come after a political scuffle broke out between the Centre and Bengal CM on Saturday. It followed the President’s displeasure regarding administration decisions made around the International Santhal Conference in Bengal.President Murmu on Saturday expressed her disapproval of the event venue being shifted at the last moment, which turned out to be a location far away from the convenience of the Santhal people.“I don’t know what went through the administration’s mind that they chose a place for the conference where the Santhal people couldn’t go. I am very sad that the people here were unable to reach the conference because it was held so far away,” she said on Saturday.She also added that the absence of the Bengal CM at the event while the President was present there was a departure from the usual protocol.“If the President visits a place, the Chief Minister and the Ministers should also come. But she did not. I am also a daughter of Bengal. Mamata Didi is also my sister, my younger sister. I don’t know if she was angry with me, that’s why this happened,” she said.Echoing the same, PM Modi also attacked the Bengal CM for breaching the protocol.“By showing utter disregard for protocol, they have insulted the President of India. This incident has laid bare the deep rot within the Trinamool government. This affront to the President at an event organised by our tribal brothers and sisters is an insult to our nation and the values of our constitutional democracy,” he said.
