MHA seeks detailed report from West Bengal government on Ram Navami violence

NEW DELHI, DAKSHIN DINAJPUR: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the violence that broke out between two groups when a Ram Navami procession was taken out in Howrah city last week.

As per top government sources, the West Bengal government has been asked to submit the report as soon as possible. The MHA’s move comes after West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Sukanta Majumdar on Sunday wrote second letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over violence in the state during Ram Navami celebrations and sought his immediate intervention.

“In continuation to my earlier letter dated March 31 regarding the communal attack on the processions of Ram Navami in Howrah and Dalkhola, it is further informed that the attack has not yet been stopped and is occurring in different parts of West Bengal”, Majumdar wrote in his letter to Shah.

He said another attack was made on the Ram Navami procession at Rishra in Hooghly district on Sunday where BJP MP and all India vice-president Dilip Ghosh was participating. “Along with the Ram Bhaktas, he too was attacked by stone pelting. His vehicle was torched and incidents of arson happened as police stood still as mere spectators which strengthens our allegations that there is definite support from the ruling party TMC and section of the administration led by Mamata Banerjee who has already issued several statements in favour of the miscreants belonging to the minority community”, Majumdar said.

“I again beg to draw your kind attention to the law and order situation of West Bengal. You are already aware of the recent violence perpetrated on the Ram Bhaktas, general Hindu people and our leaders and workers during the Ram Navami processions and still continuing, about which I have also written. Yesterday evening also, there were heavy stone pelting in Rail Stations in Hooghly district for which Train services were suspended and this could not be continued without the support of ruling party of West Bengal i.e., TMC and its top leadership”, the letter read.

“But the most unfortunate part is the role of police under the present Director General of Police Mannoj Malaviya IPS, which has completely lost its spine and impartiality. Instead of protecting the life and properties of ordinary people, particularly the Hindus affected, it is harassing and arresting them while turning a blind eye to the actual culprits and criminals from the minority community when they can be easily identified from CCTV footages and videos which are already circulating in social medias, only to please the Chief Minister who is blatantly appeasing the criminals and anti national forces for minority vote bank which is drifting away from her”, the letter added.

“Our senior leaders and Member of Parliaments are also not allowed to visit the affected areas while TMC leaders and ministers are roaming the areas. Even myself was also blocked 5 km away on the Highway from visiting Rishra where Dilip Ghosh, Hon’ble MP was attacked. The democratic rights are also being curtailed by the police of West Bengal under Malaviya. Your personal intervention is therefore highly solicited and also requesting to look into any violation of CCS conducts Rules and DOPT guidelines”, the letter further stated.

“In view of the deteriorating law and order situation, we immediately seek your kind intervention as per law so that the situation does not go out of control and lives and properties of ordinary citizens are saved,” he added.

Shah on Sunday also spoke to West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose and took stock of the situation. In the telephonic conversation with Bose, the Home Minister had also taken detailed information of the incident that led to violence in Howrah city, where several vehicles were torched and shops were ransacked on Thursday evening.

The state police had said a number of people were detained in this connection with the violence that reportedly erupted when the Ram Navami procession was passing through the Kazipara locality in Howrah city.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has assured strict action against the perpetrators of the violence and asserted that the usage of an unauthorised route led to the clash.

The BJP has attacked Banerjee for the violence. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Locket Chatterjee on Friday said that the lives of Hindus in the state were “under threat”. The BJP MP accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of appeasement politics and demanded her resignation.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur also condemned the violence in West Bengal. The situation turned violent in the Shibpur area of Howrah on Friday. Fresh violence broke out on Friday a day after arson on ‘Ram Navami’.

Earlier on Monday evening, a fresh incident of stone-pelting was reported in West Bengal’s Hooghly district forcing railways to suspend all local and mail express train services operating to and from Rishra Railway Station. The incident comes a day after clashes erupted during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Shobha yatra in Hooghly on Sunday. The state government later issued prohibitory orders and also suspended internet services across the district.

Last Thursday, several vehicles were set on fire after two groups clashed in Howrah amid Ram Navami celebrations. During the procession, the rioters vandalized public and private properties and set vehicles on fire. (ANI)