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TMC government has crossed all limits, says PM Modi over President Murmu's venue, protocol plaint

March 07, 2026 5 min read Polity & Governance Social Issues GS2
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What Happened

  • President Droupadi Murmu visited North Bengal for the International Santhal Conclave in Darjeeling but was not received by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee or any state government minister at the airport.
  • The venue of the conclave was shifted from the originally scheduled larger location (Bidhannagar area) to a smaller site near Bagdogra Airport, with the state government citing congestion and security concerns.
  • President Murmu publicly expressed displeasure, saying the venue change meant thousands of Santhal community members could not attend; she also pointedly remarked, "Maybe Mamata Didi is angry with me."
  • Prime Minister Narendra Modi termed the episode "shameful and unprecedented," accusing the West Bengal government of disrespecting both the constitutional office of the President and the tribal community.
  • Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee rejected the criticism, stating it is not always possible for her to attend all events personally, and accused political rivals of manufacturing a controversy ahead of state elections.
  • The episode reignited debate over presidential protocol, state government obligations, and the constitutional dignity owed to the office of the President.

Static Topic Bridges

Warrant of Precedence and Presidential Protocol

The Warrant of Precedence (1979), issued by the President's Secretariat, is India's official hierarchy for ceremonial and state occasions. The President occupies the 1st position in this hierarchy — the apex of India's constitutional order. When the President visits a state, the Chief Minister is conventionally required to be present for the reception; if genuinely unavailable, the CM must nominate a senior minister.

  • President: 1st; Vice President: 2nd; Prime Minister: 3rd; Speaker of Lok Sabha: 4th; Governors (within own state): 5th.
  • Chief Ministers hold precedence within their own states over Union Cabinet Ministers at state events.
  • The Table of Precedence is ceremonial and not legally enforceable, but departures from it are considered serious breaches of constitutional convention.
  • Protocol instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs specify the obligations of state governments during presidential visits.
  • A failure to receive the President — without nominating a substitute — is treated as a protocol lapse with constitutional implications.

Connection to this news: The West Bengal government's failure to have either the CM or a nominated minister receive President Murmu at the airport constituted a visible departure from established protocol norms, fuelling the political controversy.

Constitutional Position of the President and Tribal Communities

President Droupadi Murmu is India's first tribal President, belonging to the Santali community of Odisha. The symbolic weight of the President's visit to a Santhal conclave was therefore substantially heightened — her presence represented both the constitutional head of state and a member of the very community the conclave was organised to serve.

  • Article 52–62: The President is the constitutional head of the Indian Republic and is elected by an Electoral College comprising elected members of Parliament and state assemblies.
  • Articles 244 and 244A along with the Fifth and Sixth Schedules provide special protections for Scheduled Tribes and administration of tribal areas.
  • The Constitution recognises Scheduled Tribes (Article 342) and mandates affirmative action; tribal welfare is a Directive Principle under Article 46.
  • Santali is a scheduled language under the Eighth Schedule (92nd Amendment, 2003).
  • President Murmu was elected in 2022 as the 15th President — the first Adivasi to hold the office.

Connection to this news: The venue reduction meant fewer Santhal community members could attend an event specifically designed for their cultural and political representation, which the President interpreted as doubly disrespectful — to her office and to the tribal community.

Governor-CM Relations and Federal Protocol

India's federal structure creates an often delicate relationship between the Governor (President's representative) and the Chief Minister (leader of the elected state government). While the CM heads day-to-day governance, protocol norms require the CM to observe formal courtesies toward the President and the Governor as part of constitutional obligations.

  • Article 153: Every state shall have a Governor.
  • Article 163: Council of Ministers to aid and advise the Governor; however, on matters where the Governor acts at his discretion, ministerial advice does not bind.
  • Article 155: The Governor is appointed by the President, making the Governor the constitutional link between the Centre and state.
  • The CM's obligation to receive the President is a convention, not a statutory requirement — but conventions are binding elements of constitutional practice in parliamentary democracies.
  • Similar disputes have arisen in the past: Governors refusing to invite the CM to official functions, or CMs bypassing the Governor in communications.

Connection to this news: The West Bengal episode highlighted the tension between political relations (the state government and the Centre are adversarial) and constitutional obligations, which are supposed to operate above partisan politics.

Santhal Community: History and Political Significance

The Santhals are the largest tribal community in India by population, primarily concentrated in Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Assam. Their historical, cultural, and political identity is central to debates about tribal rights, land alienation, and Adivasi representation in governance.

  • The Santhal Rebellion (Hul) of 1855–56 was one of the earliest organised revolts against British colonial rule and is commemorated as a foundational moment in India's anti-colonial history.
  • The Santhal Parganas region (now largely in Jharkhand) was created under the Santhal Parganas Tenancy Act, 1949, which restricts land transfer to non-tribals.
  • Santali language uses the Ol Chiki script, developed in 1925 by Raghunath Murmu.
  • The Santali language was recognised in the Eighth Schedule through the 92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003.
  • Santhals are listed as Scheduled Tribes under Article 342 of the Constitution.

Connection to this news: An International Santhal Conclave in Darjeeling — attended by the first Santali President of India — carried enormous cultural and symbolic significance. The logistical decisions that reduced the event's reach were seen as a failure to honour that significance.

Key Facts & Data

  • The International Santhal Conclave was originally scheduled at a larger venue in the Bidhannagar area; shifted to a smaller site near Bagdogra Airport.
  • President Murmu is the first tribal President and second woman President of India (elected 2022).
  • Santali was added to the Eighth Schedule in 2003 — it is among the 22 officially scheduled languages of India.
  • The Warrant of Precedence places the President at Position 1, above all other constitutional functionaries.
  • Protocol convention: if the CM cannot receive the President, a senior state minister must be nominated — West Bengal did not follow this.
  • The Santhal Hul revolt of 1855–56 was centred in present-day Jharkhand and Bihar; approximately 10,000 Santhals were killed in the British suppression.