The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday attacked PM Narendra Modi over a 2024 photo in which he was seen sitting while President Droupadi Murmu was left standing.
The Mamata Banerjee-led party had been responding to allegations from the Centre over "insulting" President Murmu during her recent visit to the state.
The photo from a March 2024 event, displayed at the TMC's sit-in protest against voter roll deletions in West Bengal on Sunday, shows President Murmu standing beside BJP veteran L.K. Advani after presenting him with the Bharat Ratna. PM Modi can be seen seated beside Advani, while she is left standing.
The Prime Minister keeps making grand claims about respecting the President's office.
— All India Trinamool Congress (@AITCofficial) March 8, 2026
Let us take a good look at this photo. The country's first tribal woman President stands while the Prime Minister sits comfortably in his chair.
All proclamations of respect for the… pic.twitter.com/LUzw5wW4dW
Notably, she can be seen seated in a photo taken a while after she presented Advani with the prestigious award.
President Droupadi Murmu presented Bharat Ratna to L. K. Advani at his residence. The formal ceremony was attended by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah and the family members of the veteran… pic.twitter.com/awJ6Scp5CR
— DD News (@DDNewslive) March 31, 2024
CM Banerjee used the picture to attack PM Modi, blaming him of disrespecting President Murmu, and alleging that the BJP was playing politics in the poll-bound state.
How the controversy began
President Murmu had travelled to West Bengal's Darjeeling district on Saturday to attend the International Santhal Conference.
However, she expressed disappointment at the change of the conference venue from Bidhannagar in the Phansidewa block to Gossainpur in the Bagdogra area, due to which she was forced to travel 30km to reach Bidhannagar to address local residents.
"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 had said in her address.
#WATCH | Darjeeling, West Bengal | President Droupadi Murmu says, "Today was the International Santal Conference. When I came here after attending it, I realised it would have been better if it had been held here, because the area is so vast... I don't know what went through the… pic.twitter.com/zMYyvDo0Y2
— ANI (@ANI) March 7, 2026
The president had also criticised the absence of ministers of the state government to receive her at the Bagdogra Airport.
"If the President visits a place, the Chief Minister and the Ministers should also come. But she did not ... I don't know if she was angry with me, that's why this happened," she added.
These comments soon snowballed into a political row over Mamata Banerjee and the state government allegedly insulting the president. PM Modi on Saturday attacked the West Bengal CM in a speech, calling the incident "shameful and unprecedented".
"People who believe in the empowerment of democracy and the tribal community are all deeply hurt,” Modi said, alleging that the pain expressed by President Murmu—who is also from a tribal community—had saddened many people.
এটি লজ্জাজনক এবং অভুতপূর্ব। গণতন্ত্র এবং জনজাতি সম্প্রদায়ের ক্ষমতায়নে বিশ্বাসী মানুষজন সকলেই মর্মাহত।
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 7, 2026
জনজাতি সম্প্রদায় থেকেই উঠে আসা রাষ্ট্রপতি মহোদয়ার প্রকাশিত বেদনা ও উদ্বেগ ভারতের মানুষের মনে গভীর দুঃখের সঞ্চার করেছে।
পশ্চিমবঙ্গের তৃণমূল কংগ্রেস সরকার সত্যিই সমস্ত সীমা… https://t.co/XGzwMCMFrT
“One hopes better sense prevails among the West Bengal government and the Trinamool Congress,” he added, declaring that the sanctity of the president's office must always be respected.
