Ram Navami Clashes: Arson, Stones Pelted During Shobhayatra in Bengal's Rishra

Violence broke out during Ram Navami ‘Shobhayatra’ in Rishra in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on Sunday while Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar directed strict actions against those involved in the stir at Sasaram and Bihar Sharif towns as sporadic incidents of communal clashes were reported in some states. READ MORE

Following the clashes that broke out between two groups during a Ram Navami procession in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, internet services have been suspended in affected areas of Rishra.

Section 144 has been imposed in affected areas of West Bengal’s Rishra following arson and violence during Ram Navami Shobhayatra.

BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar wrote a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the violence during Ram Navami Shobhayatra in Bengal’s Rishra and said senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh, who participated in the event, was pelted with stones. “His vehicle torched and incidents of arson and fire happened as police stood still as mere spectators which strengthen our allegations that there is definite support from the ruling party TMC and a section of administration led by Mamata Banerjee who has already issued several statements in favour of the miscreants belonging to the minority community,” it read.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said the arson and violence incidents in Rishra in Hooghly district was pre-planned by BJP. “These people are trying to create unrest in the name of Ram Navami. We’re taking the stock of situation. BJP is watching who can create more ruckus Dilip Ghosh or Sukanta Majumdar,” he said.

Following the violence reported during Ram Navami Shobhayatra in Bengal’s Rishra in Hooghly district, BJP MLA Biman Ghosh is admitted to the Re-life Hospital after suffering injuries.

Reports suggest that there has been a significant increase in security deployment, and five injured individuals have been transported to a nearby hospital. The situation is currently under control, police have said after stone pelting and violence during Ram Navami Shobhayatra in Bengal’s Rishra triggered fresh tensions.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a scathing attack against the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar in view of the communal violence in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif towns and said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s dream of becoming the next prime minister will never come true. READ MORE

According to the BJP, party MLA Biman Ghosh was allegedly injured in the arson and stone pelting that erupted in during Ram Navami Shobhayatra in the Rishra area in West Bengal.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar spoke to the father and brother of the person who died in Biharsharif during the Ram Navami procession and expressed his condolences. The chief minister, who held a high-level meeting reviewing the situation also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to the next of kin of the deceased.

After stone pelting and arson were reported during Ram Navami Shobhayatra in the Rishra area in West Bengal, sources the situation is now under control.

Stone pelting was reported at Hooghly after BJP national vice president Dilip Ghosh participated in Ram Navami Shobhayatra in the Rishra area in West Bengal. According to reports, arson and fresh violence were reported in the area.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a high-level meeting amid communal tensions during Ram Navami festivities at Sasaram and Bihar Sharif towns and instructed police and administration to fully alert, and maintain full promptness. He ordered stringent measures to be taken against the culprits once they are identified, and closely monitor any potential spread of rumors to maintain law and order.

Suspended BJP MLA T Raja Singh and others were booked over alleged intent to provoke a breach of peace, in connection with a speech that he delivered during a procession held during Ram Navami festivities on March 30. The FIR, filed by a Sub-Inspector of Police, alleged after the procession led by Raja Singh reached Chudi Bazar, he delivered a speech saying that Hindu Rashtra should be established in this country. After hearing his speech, some of his followers waved photos of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse in the procession and also raised slogans with the intention to create enmity among public on the grounds of religion.

After a communal clash in Una town in Gujarat that resulted in two people being injured at a ‘Hindu Sammelan’ on the occasion of Ram Navami, the police have filed a first information report (FIR) against a female activist Kajal Hindustani associated with a right-wing group for her alleged hate speech. Additionally, over 50 individuals have been apprehended on charges of rioting. Police personnel have been deployed in sensitive areas with some of them patrolling and some posted at static points.

Police said a total of 77 people have been arrested in connection with the communal violence that erupted in Bihar Sharif town in Nalanda district during the Ram Navami festivities, Bihar Police in a tweet said. “Normalcy has been restored in Bihar Sharif the situation is completely under control. Total 77 people have so far been arrested by the district police as part of its investigation into the matter. Senior officers are camping in the affected areas..and adequate deployments of security forces have been made in the area,” it said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a rally in Nawada, Bihar, was also scheduled to take part in a function in Sasaram town of Rohtas district, which has been put off in view of communal violence that began Thursday evening during Ram Navami festivities and continued till Friday. Speaking at the public meeting, he said: “Nalanda, Sasaram are burning. Bring our government into power and we will bring the rioters upside down (Ulta latka denge).”

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal said “let not 2024 general elections be the reason” for the violence and questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “silence” in the wake of communal violence in West Bengal and Bihar during Ram Navami festivities. “I want the prime minister (Modi) to speak up, I want the home minister (Shah) to speak up and condemn the violence. It is unfortunate that in the midst of this violence neither of them have spoken, why are they quiet,” he asked.