Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday evening was displeased yet again with Raj Bhavan under its current occupant, governor C.V. Ananda Bose, for an alleged attempt to exclude the Kolkata Police band out of a traditional performance on the premises during a tea meet on Republic Day.

Raj Bhavan, according to TMC sources, was trying to replace the Kolkata Police band with their counterparts from a central paramilitary force for the performance, when Mamata caught a whiff of it and protested firmly with officials to ensure it did not happen.

Mamata arrived at the venue around 4pm and noticed the Kolkata Police band being made to wait at the gates. When she asked what it was about, she was told they were unable to join the event. She walked up along with cabinet colleague and city mayor Firhad Hakim to directly engage with Raj Bhavan officials. Being informed about this development, chief secretary Manoj Pant, home secretary Nandini Chakravorty, DGP Rajeev Kumar and others in the Nabanna top brass rushed to the spot.

“She was visibly displeased, and she told them she would go in only if the Kolkata Police band was allowed to enter and perform,” said a source in the government.

According to the source, the Trinamool Congress chief told them that as the chief minister and the home minister of the state, she was personally taking affront at this treatment being meted out by Raj Bhavan to the premier police force.

“She also underscored that law and order was a state subject in the Constitution, and that every Raj Bhavan need is taken care of by the state government, so such behaviour was completely unacceptable… more so after they were asked to show up at the gubernatorial residence, otherwise why would they be there at all?” said the source. “Team Raj Bhavan claimed it was a case of miscommunication or a snag in coordination, and there was no intention to exclude the band.”

The band was allowed in soon after, and allowed to perform, which is why Mamata attended the event for about an hour.

“It got sorted out, in the end. But it left a bad taste in the mouth,” said the source.

Later, interacting with journalists at the venue, Mamata said: “We have no objection to other bands performing, but trying to exclude the Kolkata Police band was uncalled for…. Every year, traditionally, the Kolkata Police band performs in this programme. Why were they not even being allowed in, this time?”

“Very bad… very, very bad,” she added.