On the occasion of Ram Navami on 17th April, the Hindu Jagran Manch is set to take out 5,000 processions in West Bengal at ward or panchayat level in all the districts. The outfit, which is associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has also scheduled grand rallies in Barasat, Siliguri, and Kolkata’s Burrabazar.
The district administrations of Hooghly, Howrah, Uttar and Dakshin Dinajpur, Asansol, and Barrackpore, which have earlier witnessed communal clashes during the Ram Navami celebrations, are on high alert.
Speaking to Indian Express, Shubhajit Roy of Hindu Jagran Manch said, “Some of our processions are likely to see participation by lakhs of people. It’s a big day for us. As far as maintaining law and order is concerned, the police should take care of it. I would just like to appeal to people to ensure that people of all faiths are allowed to celebrate their festivals equally and the others shouldn’t create any hindrance.”
Meanwhile, the police have said that no public display of weapons during processions on the festive occasion will be allowed. They added that “some traditional groups and akharas have been given permission. Even their processions will be videographed.”
Reports say that in Kolkata alone around 5000 police personnel have been deployed are nearly 60 Ram Navami processions are likely to be taken out. The Howrah Police have deployed drones to monitor sensitive areas in Kolkata and Howrah. Police will also video-record processions. Police in Howrah and West Midnapore have instructed liquor shops and bars to close.
Notably, incidents of violence were reported in Howrah on the 30th of March of last year and extended to two other districts, North Dinajpur and Hooghly. Ten people were injured during the clashes.
As reported earlier, the Calcutta High Court on Monday (15th April) granted permission to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Anjani Putra Sena to hold Ram Navami processions in Howrah on 17th April, subject to certain conditions. The state authorities sought to stop the procession and proposed an alternate route.
In a ruling by Justice Jay Sengupta, the court stipulated that the Ram Navami processions in Howrah should not exceed 200 participants. It was mandated that no weapons be displayed during the processions, and each procession was limited to one vehicle carrying the idol of Lord Ram. Furthermore, the use of provocative slogans and DJs is strictly forbidden during these gatherings, as emphasized by Justice Sengupta.
