Bangladesh Minister of State for Cultural Affairs Pramode Mankin, the lone Garo Member of Parliament in Bangladesh, had come to Tura for four days to attend the 100-drum Wangala festival last weekend.
"Though the Ministry of External Affairs had issued instructions to the Meghalaya government to declare him as a state guest, yet no ceremonial guard of honour was accorded to the Minister upon his arrival," Sangma said.
Sangma said the External Affairs ministry and Bangladesh High Commissioner to India had in fact written separately to the State government informing about the visit of Mankin and to extend protocol service to him.
"It was only after two days, the Bangladeshi minister was accorded a state guest honour, that too after I alerted the Ministry of External Affairs of the alleged protocol breach by the state government," Sangma claimed.
However, Meghalaya Chief Secretary W M S Pariat denied the allegations saying "all protocol formalities were followed."