Violence Over Ram Navami Procession In West Bengal; Several Vehicles Torched

Howrah: Violence broke out between two groups when a Ram Navami procession was taken out in West Bengal's Howrah city, where several vehicles were torched and shops were ransacked on Thursday evening. Police said a number of people were detained in this connection. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a dharna, said strict action will be taken against the culprits. A police officer said the incident occurred when the procession was passing through the Kazipara locality.

Several shops and auto-rickshaws were ransacked during the violence while a number of cars including a few police vehicles were set on fire. Four fire tenders were pressed into service to extinguish the blaze. The police used force to disperse the mob. A large contingent of police was deployed in the locality where the situation is stated to be under control.

VIDEO | Clash between two groups in Kajipara in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/n2cutIbqbo — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 30, 2023

The chief minister slammed the BJP for allegedly trying to stoke communal tension during the Ram Navami procession in Howrah and said those involved in the incident will not be spared. "I have repeatedly said that I will not block any Ram Navami procession. I had given clear instructions to the police in this regard. While one community is celebrating Annapurna Puja, the other is observing fast during Ramzan," she said while concluding her 30-hour extended sit-in in a demonstration in the city.

"Those who were involved in today's violence will not be spared. I do not support riot mongers and consider them the enemy of the country. The BJP has always targeted Howrah. The other targets for them are Park Circus and Islampur. Everybody must be alert in their localities," she said.

Senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, however, dubbed the allegations as baseless. "The chief minister and the state administration are responsible for the violence," Adhikari, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal assembly, said.

West Bengal last witnessed communal riots during the Ram Navami celebrations five years back, a year ahead of general elections. Earlier in the day, Ram Navami processions were taken out by leaders of the BJP and VHP in different parts of the state.

The VHP organized 1,000 large and small processions across the state on occasion, spokesperson Sourish Mukhopadhyay said. Chanting 'Jai Shri Ram', thousands of people participated in those processions in Howrah, Kharagpur, Barrackpore, Bhadreswar, Siliguri and Asansol.

Drumbeats, saffron flags and giant cutouts of Lord Ram featured prominently in these processions. Some of those participating in the marches were also armed with swords and tridents. BJP corporator Sajal Ghosh, who participated in one such rally in Howrah's Ramrajatala, justified the carrying of arms by stating "Lord Rama had used weapons to vanquish the demons."

Leader of opposition Suvendu Adhikari participated in a Ram Navami procession in his constituency Nandigram in Purba Medinipur and offered puja at the Janakinath temple. TMC leader and former BJP politician Arjun Singh also took part in a Ram Navami procession organized by a religious outfit in Barrackpore in North 24 Parganas district.