"Has no respect for tribals...": JMM accuses PM Modi of 'insulting' President Murmu

The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Monday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining seated while President Droupadi Murmu stood up to confer the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, on BJP stalwart Lal Krishna Advani at the latter's New Delhi residence.

The ruling Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) on Monday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remaining seated while President Droupadi Murmu stood up to confer the Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, on BJP stalwart Lal Krishna Advani at the latter's New Delhi residence. Citing an image of the confirment of the Bharat Ratna on the BJP veteran, the JMM accused PM Modi of "insulting the President as she is a tribal".

Addressing a press conference on Monday, JMM general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya alleged that it was "a deliberate insult by the PM" to a woman from the tribal community despite her being the constitutional head of the country. "Those who talked about Ram Rajya are now demonstrating their demonic powers. We have been saying that the PM has no respect for tribals and neither does he value them as fellow citizens. Yesterday, the Bharat Ratna was conferred to LK Advani and the PM was pictured seated alongside him even as President Murmu stood up to bestow the honour on her. He neither showed respect to a distinguished person from a tribal community nor the office she holds. This was a deliberate insult of a tribal woman despite her being the constitutional head of the nation," the JMM leader said.

He alleged further that the President was neither invited to the inaugural ceremony of the new Parliament building nor to the 'Pran Pratishtha' of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya as "she belongs to a tribal community". "Chaudhary Charan Singh also conferred with the Bharat Ratna and everybody saw how his descendant (RLD chief Jayant Chaudhary was neglected in Meerut," he said, adding, "The PM should come forward and explain to people why this happened and the implications it could have in the coming days," the JMM leader added.

President Murmu on Monday conferred the Bharat Ratna on Advani at his residence because of his advancing age and failing health. Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar and his predecessor M Venkaiah Naidu were also present on this occasion.

Earlier, on Saturday, the President conferred the country's highest civilian honour on four eminent personalities, including two former PMs Chaudhary Charan Singh and PV Narasimha Rao. Former Bihar Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur and agronomist MS Swaminathan were also posthumously conferred with the Bharat Ratna. (ANI)

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