Row After Union Minister Stopped From Entering VVIP Zone During PM's Kolkata Visit

Union Minister of State for Education Sukanta Majumdar was on Monday denied entry into the VVIP zone of the Kolkata airport while attempting to bid farewell to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering a fresh flashpoint between the BJP and the ruling TMC in West Bengal.

The incident unfolded shortly before PM Modi's departure for Bihar in the afternoon, after he inaugurated the 16th Combined Commanders' Conference (CCC) at the Eastern Command headquarters of the Army at Vijay Durg, the erstwhile Fort William.

The Trinamool Congress added fuel to the controversy by mocking Majumdar, suggesting that even the central government doesn't consider him important.

While West Bengal Fire and Emergency Services Minister Sujit Bose was allowed to drive into the high-security VVIP enclosure as per protocol, Majumdar was stopped by police personnel and forced to walk a significant distance on foot.

"I asked the officer why my vehicle was not allowed inside. She simply said, 'madam has instructed'. When I asked who this 'madam' was, they told me it was the DC (deputy commissioner). I want to know under what authority a state police officer stops a Union minister, while allowing a state minister," a visibly miffed Majumdar said after the incident.

The BJP has described the episode as yet another example of political vendetta by the TMC, accusing the state administration of "selective enforcement of protocol".

"What special privilege does Sujit Bose have? Is this the level of professionalism of the Kolkata Police?" Majumdar added, stating that he would write to the Lok Sabha Speaker, demanding action.

The TMC, meanwhile, wasted no time in taking potshots at the BJP leader.

"Modi doesn't even consider him important. He is just a 'half minister'. That's why he wasn't on the approved list. You need to inform in advance who will be receiving the Prime Minister. It's not a BJP office event," remarked senior TMC leader Arup Chakraborty.

The TMC claimed that only names pre-approved on the PMO's security list were granted access, and that Majumdar's name may not have been included.

However, BJP leaders hit back, wondering how a state minister's name made it to the list, while a sitting Union minister did not feature in it.

The controversy sparked a fresh war of words between the BJP-led central government and the state, with the saffron party accusing the Mamata Banerjee-led administration of using the police to settle political scores.

Neither the West Bengal Police nor the state authorities have issued any official explanation yet over the matter

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)