Kolkata, 09 March (H.S.): The West Bengal government has sent its response to the Union Home Ministry over allegations of protocol violation during President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit to north Bengal, officials said on Monday.

In its reply, the state government denied any lapse and maintained that local authorities had followed all prescribed procedures during the President’s visit.

Sources said the Ministry of Home Affairs had sought an explanation from the office of Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty on Sunday morning and had asked the state to submit a report by 5 pm the same day.

A senior official at the state secretariat confirmed that a detailed report had been sent to the ministry, though its contents were not made public.

“The report addresses all the points related to the alleged protocol issues raised by the ministry,” the official said.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the President was received at Bagdogra airport as per protocol.

According to Banerjee, Siliguri Mayor Gautam Deb, the Darjeeling district magistrate and the Siliguri police commissioner were present at the airport to receive the President.

She said there had been no prior plan for the chief minister to receive the President or to be present at the programme venue, and therefore there was no question of any protocol violation.

President Murmu was originally scheduled to arrive in north Bengal on Friday afternoon, but the programme was postponed due to unavoidable reasons. She later reached Bagdogra airport at around 11.30 am on Saturday.

The President was scheduled to attend a programme of the tribal community in the Phansidewa area of Darjeeling district, but the venue was later shifted to Gosainpur.

Amid the controversy over the change of venue, Murmu had expressed displeasure over the arrangements.

She later visited Phansidewa, where the event was initially planned, and remarked that while Banerjee was like a younger sister to her, neither the chief minister nor any member of her cabinet met her during the visit, which she said was not in line with customary protocol.

Following the remarks, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Banerjee traded allegations over the issue.

The Home Ministry subsequently sought a clarification from the state government over the matter earlier on Sunday, sources said.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey