Mamata Banerjee promises action against rioters, Home Ministry seeks report on Ram Navami clashes

The Union Home Ministry Tuesday sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the Ram Navami violence in Howrah, sources said.

By: Express Web Desk

Updated: April 4, 2023 06:23 PM IST

3 min read

Mamata Banerjee appealed for peace and urged Hindus to protect Muslims amid a spate of clashes that began on Thursday during Ram Navami.(File)

Listen to this article

Your browser does not support the audio element.

Days after communal violence across several parts of West Bengal, that flared up around Ram Navami, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that this was never the state’s culture and vowed to take strict action against those responsible so that no rioter goes scot-free.

Addressing the media in Purba Medinipur district, Mamata said, “The ‘Baam’ (Left) and ‘Ram’ (BJP) have joined hands against us… BJP is maligning the name of Lord Ram by resorting to violence during Ram Navami.”

Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry Tuesday sought a detailed report from the West Bengal government on the Ram Navami violence in Howrah, PTI reported citing its sources. This comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Governor C V Ananda Bose and took stock of the prevailing situation in the state, particularly in violence-hit areas of Howrah.

On Monday, the Calcutta High Court Monday had sought an action-taken report from the West Bengal government by Wednesday on the clashes during the Ram Navami rally in Howrah.

Since last Thursday evening, clashes have rocked several parts of the state. Clashes first broke out in Howrah’s Shibpur area, followed by similar clashes in Uttar Dinajpur districts.

Political Pulse | Worried over minority support, Mamata govt fears further heat from communal violence

“The BJP is behind the violence in Hooghly and Howrah. They had brought in hired ‘goondas’ from other states to unleash violence in Bengal, which is not in our culture. They are defaming the Hindu religion by pitting one community against another. But rioters have no religion, they are just political goons. I appeal to everyone to maintain peace,” she said.

In a veiled attack at Union Home Minister Amit Shah over his recent comments, she said, “The BJP said that if the party comes to power in Bihar, it would hang rioters upside down. Then why are they not doing that to their goondas who are fomenting trouble in Bengal? Charity begins at home.”

Story continues below this ad

The clashes come at a time when the ruling Trinamool Congress has stepped up its Muslim outreach following the Sagardighi bypoll setback. Both sides have traded charges over the violence, with the TMC blaming the BJP for provoking the same to serve its agenda, and the BJP accusing the state government of “selective (anti-Hindu) bias” in handling the situation.

With inputs from PTI

From the homepage