West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to skip the inauguration of three Kolkata metro projects by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 22, a top state government official said on Monday. The decision highlights the ongoing political tensions between the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-led state government and the BJP-led central government.
According to the official, the chief minister’s absence is a direct response to the alleged harassment and “linguistic discrimination” faced by migrants from West Bengal in BJP-ruled states. “Protests are underway to oppose such discriminatory treatment… In such a situation, the chief minister does not wish to share the stage with officials from the central government,” the official told.
The projects to be inaugurated by the Prime Minister include the Sealdah-Esplanade section of the Green Line, the Hemanta Mukhopadhyay (Ruby Crossing)-Beleghata stretch of the Orange Line, and the Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar (airport) section of the Yellow Line. A key point of contention is the TMC’s claim that these projects were originally planned and funded by Mamata Banerjee herself during her tenure as the Union Railway Minister.
The official further alleged that the BJP is now inaugurating the long-pending projects with an eye on the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections. The official also cited past instances where Banerjee was allegedly disrespected at central government events, with BJP supporters turning the official functions into political platforms. The official noted that this time, despite a formal invitation being sent by Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the chief minister has decided against attending to avoid a similar situation.
In a counter-statement, the state BJP dismissed the TMC’s allegations and blamed the state government for project delays. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said that numerous railway projects in the state have been stalled due to “land-related issues and lack of cooperation from the state government.” He added that the chief minister’s presence would have been “desirable” for the event.
The inauguration of these projects is set to significantly improve Kolkata’s urban connectivity, including making India’s first underwater metro fully operational and providing a direct metro link to the Kolkata airport. However, the event is now at the center of a political debate over credit and protocol.