Kolkata, Apr 10 (PTI) While BJP leaders, including Dilip Ghosh, led Ram Navami rallies at various parts of West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress conducted rival celebrations honouring the goddess Basanti, a form of Durga.
Two armed Ram Navami processions were sighted at Barrackpore, not far from Kolkata, despite prohibitions on the display of weapons.
The rival celebrations by the two political parties to mobilise people and underscore their message to the masses have been a trend for some years now.
While the BJP has brought Ram Navami rallies in the state in a bid to mobilise support among the majority religious populace, the TMC has started using local Hindu worship formats to underline their roots in the Hindu faith, indigenous to Bengal.
The Ram Navami processions were mostly sans weapons, barring two rallies in Bhatpara area of North 24 Parganas district where participants were seen brandishing swords.
The state police said legal action would be initiated as per law for taking out armed rallies on Ram Navami, celebrated as Lord Rama’s birthday.
VHP state media-in-charge Sourish Mukherjee claimed that around 1,000 Ram Navami processions were organised across West Bengal, and there have been “no reports of any untoward incident”.
“For the last two years, the Ram Navami celebrations in the state were low key affairs due to the Covid-19 pandemic. This year, it was celebrated in a big way. We took out around 1,000 processions across the state,” he claimed.
Asked whether the rallies organised by VHP had activists carrying weapons, Mukherjee said, “We didn’t ask anyone to bring any weapon. We have held peaceful processions.” TMC leaders also took out Ram Navami processions in some areas and organised Basanti Puja, a popular spring festival in the state.
Said Debasish Kumar, TMC leader and MLA who participated in one of the Basanti Pujas, “BJP uses Ram Navami to reach out to the population, we are with the people 365 days.” A senior officer of the West Bengal Police said the Ram Navami rallies have been “peaceful”.
“So far, there are no reports of any untoward incident. The rallies have been peaceful,” he said.
Two armed Ram Navami processions were taken out in the Bhatpara area, which falls under the Barrackpore Lok Sabha Constituency, where participants were seen dancing with swords and sharp-edged weapons.
“I am not aware of organisers who took out the armed processions. I am here to participate in a peaceful Ram Navami rally,” Barrackpore’s BJP MP Arjun Singh said.
He said Ram Navami signifies the victory of truth over evil.
The TMC also took out a rally in Bhatpara where the youths were seen brandishing swords along with chants of “Khela Hobe”.
A local TMC leader said they had appealed to locals to ensure that no one was hurt.
Manoj Kumar Verma, the commissioner of Barrackpore Police Commissionerate, said legal action would be initiated against those who took out armed rallies.
“We have noticed arms being brandished at those rallies and action would be taken as per law,” he added. PTI CORR PNT SUS JRC BDC BDC
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