West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee (PTI photo)

NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday rejected allegations of a protocol breach during President Draupadi Murmu’s programme in Siliguri, questioning the timing of the criticism and suggesting it was “politically motivated”.“You are targeting Bengal on the eve of assembly elections by saying whatever pleases you. Why? Why? Why?” Didi said while speaking from the sit-in platform in central Kolkata.

Her remarks came after Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day accused the TMC government of “insulting” a woman tribal leader and the President of the country. Responding to the charge, Banerjee held up an enlarged photograph showing the Prime Minister seated beside veteran BJP leader LK Advani while the President stood nearby at an event.“The picture shows that the PM is seated when the President is standing. We never do that. It is the BJP which carries the culture of insulting the President, not us,” she claimed, displaying the photograph as “evidence”.“We have full respect for the chair of the President and the Constitution of India, which we consider our mother; do not blame us,” Banerjee said.The chief minister also denied that there had been any breach of protocol during the President’s visit to north Bengal. She said that if there had been any mismanagement at the function, the responsibility lay with the private organisers and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), which had provided the venue.President Draupadi Murmu had earlier expressed her displeasure after finding neither the chief minister nor any of her cabinet ministers present to receive her at Bagdogra Airport on Saturday, where she arrived to attend an international tribal conference. She had also voiced concern over the change in venue of the programme near Siliguri.Banerjee, however, maintained that the state government had not been informed about the details of the President’s visit and had not been taken into confidence by the private organisers. She added that issues such as garbage at the venue, problems with the green room and the absence of women’s toilets should be addressed by the event managers and the AAI, on whose premises the programme was held.“We did not pick the venue, you did,” she said.Banerjee also said Siliguri mayor Goutam Deb had followed protocol and was present to receive the President at Bagdogra.“I am sitting in a dharna to protect people’s rights. How can I leave?” she said.