According to a report in The Indian Express, several police stations in West Bengal are on high alert to prevent any communal tensions ahead of the upcoming Ram Navami celebrations in the state. The Hindu Jagran Manch, an organization affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), is planning to hold around 5,000 religious processions at the ward or panchayat level in all districts of the state. Additionally, large processions are scheduled to take place in Barasat, Siliguri, and Kolkata’s Burrabazar.
District administrations in Hooghly, Howrah, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, Asansol, and Barrackpore, which have witnessed communal tensions in the past during Ram Navami celebrations, are also on alert, as reported by the newspaper. The police have made it clear that any violation of law and order will be strictly dealt with. They have explicitly stated that the public display of weapons during processions will not be allowed. The police will be videographing the processions of approved traditional groups and akharas.
In recent years, Ram Navami celebrations have become a political battleground, often escalating into major political face-offs and even communal riots. For instance, on March 30 last year, clashes erupted in Howrah, which later spread to two other districts, North Dinajpur and Hooghly, resulting in ten people being injured.
Earlier this week, the Calcutta high court granted the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Anjani Putra Sena permission to hold Ram Navami processions in Howrah on April 17. However, certain conditions were imposed. The state government had tried to block the procession by proposing an alternative route. Meanwhile, the Hindu Jagran Manch has expressed its expectation of lakhs of people participating in the Ram Navami processions on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing election rallies in Raiganj and Balurghat, hailed the high court’s decision as a “victory for truth” and accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of plotting to halt the Ram Navami festivities in West Bengal. In response, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP was planning to incite riots in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections on April 19.
Banerjee warned against falling into the trap and engaging in clashes, claiming that the BJP would use the National Investigation Agency to arrest TMC leaders on false charges. She urged supporters and the peace-loving people of West Bengal to remain vigilant and thwart the BJP’s alleged plan to incite riots for electoral gains.