New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari said he has filed a Public Interest Litigation in the Calcutta High Court over the violence that erupted in Howrah during Ram Navami procession and have sought NIA probe and immediate deployment of Central Forces in the chaos-hit areas.
Taking to Twitter, Adhikari wrote, “I have filed a Public Interest Litigation today in the Hon’ble High Court at Calcutta pertaining to the incidents of violence & attack on the Ram Navami processions at Howrah & Dalkhola. I have prayed for NIA probe and immediate deployment of Central Forces in such areas for containing the situation and restoration of Law and Order situation as well as for saving innocent lives.”
This comes a day after several vehicles were torched as a ruckus broke out during a Ram Navami procession in Howrah.
Visuals showed several vehicles engulfed in flames and a heavy police deployment, including riot control force, in the area. A police van and a car with their glasses smashed were also seen in the videos tweeted by news agency ANI.
Reacting to the incident, Adhikari alleged that the police have not been doing its work. “They are silent spectators. They are not doing anything. All houses of Hindus have been vandalised. All Hindus in Kazipara area had to flee to save their lives,” he said.
“I will meet the injured and thereafter meet the CP. CP had refused to meet me. I had sought an appointment for 4 pm but he had said that the question does not even arise - CM has given directions. But I will go there and carry a CD of yesterday's incidents with me,” the Leader of Opposition added.
Condemning the violence, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee said, “It is disheartening. Such visuals emerge from Bengal every Ram Navami and Durga idol immersion. Not acceptable that the lives of Hindus in Bengal are under threat. When there was violence in Howrah yesterday, Mamata Banerjee was sitting on a 30-hour Dharna. What did she say? Muslims live nicely during Ramzan. Is this an example of that? She is with Muslims for vote bank and appeasement politics. Law and order situation in the state is bad.”
Notably, the violence erupted even as West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee urged the people of the state to celebrate Ram Navami in a peaceful manner and refrain from any kind of violence while taking out processions.
"I want to request those who are taking out Ram Navami procession, please do but do it peacefully. Kindly avoid Muslim areas as Ramzan is going on. Celebrate peacefully but don't try to create violence. Don't get provoked. Some BJP leaders are saying they will move with swords and knives during the procession. I say criminal offence is an offence," ANI quoted CM Mamata Banerjee as saying.