President Draupadi Murmu arrived in West Bengal today to attend the annual program of the tribal community. But neither the Chief Minister nor any minister reached the airport to welcome him. On this the President said that CM Mamata Banerjee is like my younger sister. He also expressed surprise and asked whether he was angry with me.
The President had attended a program in Goshaipur near Bagdogra Airport during the day. After that, during the tribal meeting in Bidhannagar near Siliguri, the CM was said to be angry.
The President said that Mamata Banerjee is like my younger sister. I am also a daughter of Bengal. I don’t know if he is upset or not. He also raised questions over changing the venue of the tribal community’s annual event from Bidhannagar to Goshaipur, where fewer people had reportedly come.
This program was earlier scheduled to be held in Bidhannagar, Siliguri. However, officials shifted the location to Gopalpur near Bagdogra Airport, citing security and other logistical reasons.
When the President reached there, Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb was the only representative to receive her at the airport. According to protocol, usually the Chief Minister or a state government minister is present to receive the President. In Kolkata, Mamata Banerjee continued her protest for the second consecutive day against the arbitrary removal of names from the voter list in West Bengal.