Kolkata, March 14 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his speech in Kolkata, said that the insult to President Droupadi Murmu during her recent visit to West Bengal was in reality an insult to the entire tribal community of the country, considering that the President herself hails from a tribal background.

“The tribal community in West Bengal has always been deprived of its legitimate right to development during the current Trinamool Congress regime in the state. They have always heckled and insulted tribal people. But what they have done now with the President during her recent visit to West Bengal has crossed all limits,” the Prime Minister said while addressing a mega rally at Brigade Parade Ground in central Kolkata, which marked the culmination of the party’s “Parivartan Yatra” ahead of the Assembly elections in West Bengal this year.

According to him, Trinamool Congress is unable to accept the fact that Droupadi Murmu has reached such a position coming from a tribal background. “The President was really sad over the entire development,” the Prime Minister said.

Last week, there was a serious breach of protocol during the President’s visit to Darjeeling district of West Bengal to address the International Santal Conclave. First, the police refused permission for the venue chosen by the organisers at Phansidewa in Darjeeling district and instead allotted a much smaller place at Gossaipur in the same district.

Secondly, neither Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee nor any member of the West Bengal Cabinet went to receive her, which was again described as a serious breach of protocol.

Even the President expressed displeasure over the development. The Chief Minister, however, countered that the President was “playing into the hands of the BJP”.

Meanwhile, while addressing the Brigade rally on Saturday, Prime Minister Modi, without naming the West Bengal Chief Minister, attacked her over her recent comments claiming that if the people of a particular community get united, there will be trouble.

“Can anyone occupying a constitutional post make such a comment? This was an open indication that a special community will destroy others. The state government has made West Bengal unsafe. Threatening is Trinamool Congress’s culture. Fear-mongering is being created in West Bengal, which the world needs to see. They say that those who do not vote for Trinamool Congress are not Bengalis. I am reminding Trinamool Congress that their days of hooliganism are about to end this time. The countdown has begun,” the Prime Minister said.

–IANS

src/pgh