10 Hurt, 36 Arrested In Violence During Ram Navami Procession In Bengal’s Howrah, Mamata Blames BJP

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of trying to stoke communal tension during the Ram Navami procession in Howrah and said those involved in the violence would not be spared.

Vehicles set on fire by miscreants during clashes between two groups, at Kajipara in Howrah district, Thursday, March 30, 2023. ( Image Source :PTI )

West Bengal’s Howrah district on Thursday witnessed violence and arson after clashes broke out between two groups during Ram Navami festivities after which several vehicles were torched and shops were ransacked in the area, police said.

According to inputs, 10 persons were injured in the incident while 36 people were detained.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that culprits won’t be spared and the law will take its course.

WATCH | हावड़ा हिंसा में अब तक 36 लोग गिरफ्तार, 10 लोग घायल

हावड़ा से @manogyaloiwal की खास रिपोर्ट@anchorjiya | @AdarshJha001 | @AnchorSonal95 | https://t.co/smwhXUROiK #HowrahViolence #RamNavamiViolence #WestBengal pic.twitter.com/eeQ4YvevNp

— ABP News (@ABPNews) March 31, 2023

The incident occurred when the procession was passing through the Kazipara locality, news agency PTI reported a police officer as saying.

Several shops and auto-rickshaws were ransacked during the violence and several cars, including a few police vehicles, were set ablaze.

Four fire tenders were rushed to extinguish the blaze.

As per PTI’s report, the police used force to disperse the mob. A large contingent of police was deployed in the locality where the situation is now said to be under control.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Morning visuals from Howrah where arson occurred yesterday during ruckus while 'Rama Navami' procession. Security beefed up in the affected area. https://t.co/0RBXsEc2NG pic.twitter.com/uByKQJ7FAU

— ANI (@ANI) March 31, 2023

CM Mamata Banerjee Slams BJP

The West Bengal Chief Minister accused the BJP of trying to stoke communal tension during the Ram Navami procession in Howrah and said those involved in the incident would not be spared.

“I have repeatedly said that no Ram Navami procession will be blocked. 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 protest in Kolkata, as quoted by PTI.

#WATCH | West Bengal: Police personnel conduct flag march after ruckus during 'Rama Navami' procession in Howrah where several vehicles were torched. pic.twitter.com/W845mdQQnQ

— ANI (@ANI) March 30, 2023

“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 remarked.

CM Mamata claimed that the BJP had hired goons from other states to orchestrate communal riots.

“Why did they change the route [at the last moment] and take the unauthorized route to target and attack one community? If they believe they will attack others and receive relief through legal interventions, they must know that the people will reject them one day,” she said, as per PTI.

BJP Dismisses CM Mamata Banerjee’s Allegations

BJP’s Suvendu Adhikari termed the Chief Minister’s claims as “baseless”. “The chief minister and the state administration are responsible for the violence,” he opined, as quoted by PTI.

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar countered CM Mamata’s allegation saying, “TMC is lying because it was not the wrong route. There was permission till Howrah ground and this was the only route to go there.” “Now such days have come in India that you can take out Ram Navami procession in some areas and can't go to other areas,” he remarked, as quoted by news agency ANI.

Earlier in the day, Ram Navami processions were taken out by members of the BJP and Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) in different parts of the state.

The VHP organised 1,000 large and small processions across the state on occasion, as per spokesperson Sourish Mukhopadhyay.

Chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’, thousands of people participated in those processions in Howrah, Kharagpur, Barrackpore, Bhadreswar, Siliguri, and Asansol, PTI reported.

West Bengal last witnessed communal riots during the Ram Navami celebrations five years back, a year ahead of general elections.