West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has called "Hindu brothers" to defend minorities and has stated that another round of violence is planned in the state on Thursday, when the nation celebrates Hanuman Jayanti, news agency PTI reported.
She further stated that political workers carrying weapons and bombs are staging Ram Navami processions in minority communities long after the holiday has ended in order to stir violence.
Banerjee's remarks came a day after two groups of people clashed during Ram Navami processions in Rishra and Serampore in Hooghly district. On March 30, the day of the celebration, there was another conflict near Kazipara in Howrah.
Speaking at a programme in Purba Medinipur district, Banerjee stated: "I will entrust a responsibility to my Hindu brothers to see that minorities are not tortured on April 6 (Hanuman Jayanti)."
Banerjee's appeal to Hindus is reminiscent of Bangladesh's founder, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's, "Rukhe Darao" (Rise up in protest)" exhortation in 1964, when communal unrest swept East Pakistan.
The Trinamool Congress chief also called on Hindus to preserve the Scheduled Caste and Adivasi tribes.
Senior BJP leader Rahul Sinha slammed Banerjee, claiming that she is making these remarks in response to her party's loss in the Sagardighi by-election, in which both Hindus and Muslims voted against her.
"She is also providing a prior excuse so that if something goes wrong on April 6, she will be able to blame the BJP. This is a good ploy of Banerjee to cover up the wrongdoings of her party colleagues," Sinha informed PTI.
Dr Sujan Chakraborty of the CPI(M) central committee remarked that if Banerjee had known there would be violence on Hanuman Jayanti, she might have met with the authorities to strengthen security arrangements instead of touring the Purba Medinipur area.
"She must meet the police to find out why these incidents took place and what could be done to tighten security measures," Chakraborty was quoted by PTI in its report.
West Bengal has been seeing vandalism and conflicts over the holiday since last week.
“Why will the processions continue for five days after Ram Navami? Do it on the day of the festival. We have never had objections … But they cannot do rallies with guns and bombs, or without necessary permissions from the police," Banerjee said.
The Trinamool Congress chief has claimed that the BJP is to blame for the burning and riots during Ramnavami celebrations.
"They are deliberately entering minority areas to incite violence and create tension," Banerjee claimed.
Referring to the state's approaching panchayat elections, the dates of which have yet to be published, Banerjee said that the BJP and the CPI(M) have formed a "unholy alliance" and should be dealt with accordingly.
"Till the day I am alive, no one will be able to stop me from fighting for the people. I was with the people, I am with people and I will remain with people," she said.
While describing the BJP-led central government as "the most corrupt," Banerjee said that it had halted the distribution of cash due to her administration.
On Monday, the chief minister will be in Purba Medinipore district for four days. She will also investigate her party's readiness for the panchayat poll.