Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders and workers led a ‘Shobha Yatra’ in Howrah on Wednesday to mark the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. This comes in the wake of a war of words erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and TMV in the state.
Earlier on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while critising the TMC, affirmed that the people have received court permission to conduct the ‘Shobha Yatra’ on the occasion in Bengal.
“The entire country is set to celebrate Ram Navami tomorrow. This Ram Navami holds special significance as it marks the first celebration since Lord Ram’s installation at Ayodhya’s Ram Temple. Despite TMC’s attempts to thwart this, truth has prevailed. We have secured court permission, and the ‘Shobha Yatra’ of Ram Navmi will proceed in Bengal,” PM Modi remarked yesterday.
His statement follows the Calcutta High Court’s decision to grant permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) for a procession on Ram Navami in Howrah city, subject to specific conditions to ensure a peaceful event.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Election Commission of succumbing to “BJP pressure” by replacing the Deputy Inspector General of Police of Murshidabad. Banerjee alleged that such actions were intended to incite communal tensions.
Addressing a rally at Alipurdaur, Banerjee asserted, “The BJP influenced the removal of Murshidabad’s DIG solely on their instructions. If riots erupt in Murshidabad and Malda, the EC bears responsibility. The saffron party’s motive is to instigate violence by altering police officers”.
With Lok Sabha elections scheduled on April 19, and April 26, Banerjee has accused BJP of “attempting to stoke communal tensions during Ram Navami”. Notably, with the strengthing presence of BJP-RSS in the state, the Ram Navami festival has gained prominence over the past decade.
Following the inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya earlier this year, the VHP had planned an extensive Ram Mahotsav programme from April 9 to April 23, culminating on Hanuman Jayanti.
Meanwhile, the TMC is hosting a ‘Shobha Yatra’ in Howrah today, where communal clashes erupted last year during Ram Navami. The TMC had urged the EC to prevent the religious festival; from becoming a platform for polarisation.
Both the TMC and BJP are engaged in a fierce contest in Bengal for the Lok Sabha Elections. In 2019, the BJP had secured 18 seats, while the TMC won 22 and The Congress two.