Ram Navami Violence: Centre Seeks Report On 'Poor Law & Order' Situation In Bengal From Mamata Govt

Following up on a letter by Bengal BJP chief on alleged harassment of Hindus by police in Bengal, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has sought a report from the government on the Ram Navami violence.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee government on the Ram Navami violence and "poor law-and-order situation in Bengal".

Source : PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday sought a report from the Mamata Banerjee government on the Ram Navami violence and "poor law-and-order situation in Bengal". The development has come after Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar wrote to the Home Minister, alleging that Hindus are being continuously targeted in the state.

Violence broke out in Bengal's Hooghly district on Thursday during a Ram Navami procession. Another spate of violence was reported in Rishra on Sunday at a Ram Navami Rally conducted by the BJP. Party leaders Biman Ghosh and Dilip Ghosh said they had suffered injuries in the violence.

Earlier in the day, Majumdar, in a letter to Shah, expressed his concern over the law-and-order situation in the state. He alleged that the police is "harassing and arresting Hindus while turning a blind eye to the actual culprits and criminals from the minority community". He urged Shah's urgent intervention in the matter.

In the strongly worded letter, Majumdar said: "The police, under the present DGP, Manoj Malaviya, has lost its spine and [sense of] impartiality. Instead of protecting the life and property of ordinary people, particularly the Hindus affected [in the Ram Navami violence], it is harassing and arresting them."  

Majumdar claimed that the perpetrators of the violence were from the minority community and that they could be easily identfied from CCTV footage. He further alleged this was only to appease CM Banerjee, "who is blatantly appeasing criminals and anti-national forces for minority vote bank". According to Majumdar, TMC leaders were freely roaming the violence-affected areas while BJP leaders were barred and even attacked when approaching such locations. 

NO DIFFERENCE OF OPINION OVER CRACKDOWN ON CRIMINALS: GOVERNOR

Meanwhile, amid the claims of the BJP that criminals were being given a free pass, Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose said that there was no difference of opinion on the crack down on the perpetrators of the violence. 

Governor Ananda Bose has said that strict action will be taken against the perpetrators of violence during Ram Navami processions. "People of Bengal have suffered enough. But no more. The people's right to peaceful lives will be established at any cost," he said. "There is no difference of opinion on this. We are united," he said.

"The [anti-social] forces will be contained and eliminated. This will be the final solution to this destructive trend... I assure the people they can enjoy peace, free from intimidation. Politics of violence will be eradicated once and for all," he said.