"Minimum requirement": CPI-M leader Brinda Karat on President Murmu's Santal Conference Controversy

Dumka (Jharkhand) [India], March 8 (ANI): Amidst the ongoing political row related to President Droupadi Murmu's recent West Bengal visit, CPI-M leader Brinda Karat on Sunday called it a "minimum requirement" that state government representatives welcome the President, while also cautioning that constitutional positions must remain above politics.
Speaking to ANI, Karat said that the President is a constitutional position and stated that, since Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee could not personally go to welcome President Murmu, a senior functionary of the government should have represented her on the occasion.
"When the President visits a state, it's a minimum requirement that representatives from that state's government be present to welcome her, and she is our country's President. This is a constitutional position, so certainly, if the Chief Minister herself couldn't go, then on behalf of Mamata Banerjee's government, a senior functionary should have gone. There's no doubt about that," Karat said.
She further said that any kind of controversy should not have happened as the President's office already knew where the event would take place ahead of her arrival. Karat also suggested that the President is not a politically elected representative and is above politics.
"Secondly, the entire President's office, etc, knew exactly where the event would be taking place. Therefore, if there had been any discussion about the venue, if it had been finalised before his arrival, this kind of problem would not have arisen. Thirdly, I would say that the positions of President and Governor are above politics. They are not politically elected, nor are they members of any party. Therefore, anyone holding a constitutional position, whether President or Governor, must stay away from politics," said Karat.
Controversy erupted on Saturday, when President Droupadi Murmu, during her event in Darjeeling, expressed displeasure with the West Bengal government for not receiving her upon arrival, and not attending her event.
"If the President visits a place, the Chief Minister and the Ministers should also come. But she did not," Murmu said, referring to Banerjee. (ANI)