BJP skips reception, Trinamool calls it disrespect to country’s highest office

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress on Monday alleged that Bengal BJP had insulted President Droupadi Murmu by skipping her civic reception but prioritising politics in New Delhi.Bengal minister Sashi Panja said: “This is not Trinamool’s civic reception. This was West Bengal’s civic reception. It is nothing but petty and negative politics. They have proved that for them, politics is more important than regard for the country’s highest office.”Earlier in Delhi, BJP Bishnupur MP Saumitra Khan complained that the 70 BJP MLAs from Bengal were not invited to the civic reception at Netaji Indoor Stadium. “The leader of opposition, BJP MLAs and BJP MPs from Bengal have not been invited to the civic reception,” Khan said in Delhi.Khan made the claim hours after leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari tweeted: “Those who queued up to vote against her (Droupadi Murmu) would take centrestage & hog the limelight at the felicitation event! Those who queued up to vote in her favour are snubbed by the WB Govt & aren’t invited!”Dismissing the claims, Panja added: “They held a press conference in Delhi saying they weren’t invited. But we have evidence that all elected leaders — including MPs and MLAs — from Bengal across all parties were invited to the event by the state government.”“Is this not sheer disrespect to the post of the President of India?” she asked.Asked whether BJP boycotted the civic reception hosted by the Bengal governor and the CM, Adhikari said: “No. We have not been invited. Have a look at invitation cards of civic receptions held in other states. They carry the names of Union ministers from respective states, the governor, the CM and leader of opposition.”