Prime Minister Mamata Banerjee debates Ram Navami march days before elections

Bangladesh Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi (file photo).

Kolkata:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today went head-to-head over Wednesday’s Ram Navami celebrations in Howrah – a year ago in the region and across the state Large-scale violence occurred, resulting in arson and stone-throwing. and clashes between the two groups, triggering clashes between the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and the ruling Trinamool.

While campaigning in Dakshind Najpur district, Modi said the Trinamool “has been trying to stop the Ram Navami procession” and vowed to celebrate the event without interruption this year.

“The Trinamool Congress has been trying to stop Ram Navami… they have tried many conspiracies. But we have taken permission from the court and tomorrow, with devotion and faith, we will celebrate Ram Navami,” the Prime Minister declared , referring to an order issued by the Calcutta High Court this morning.

In Jalpaiguri in northern Bengal, Ms Banerjee slammed the BJP for spreading “fake videos” during the period and warned people “not to fall for any kind of provocation”.

“I want to tell my minority brothers and sisters… if you see the slogans on April 17, that’s the day they started rioting. (But) I want it to be a day of respect for the people… a day of unity even if they abuse (You) also need to remain calm… pray to Allah and ask them to be taken away,” the cantankerous chief minister said.

Read | On Bengal Ram Navami violence, Mamata Banerjee rips BJP apart

“Don’t listen to any incitement. We have to maintain peace. They want to create disturbances and send in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) so that voting does not happen and they can rig the votes,” she said.

The court allowed the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Anjani Putra Sena to hold the procession with certain conditions, including limiting participants to a maximum of 200 people and prohibiting the display of weapons. The court also said that only one vehicle carrying the ram statue can be used for each rally.

Rally organizers – the VHP and Putra Sena – were told to schedule the event on a different day – and participants were warned not to raise provocative slogans or use disc jockeys.

Last year, the BJP and Trinamool launched fierce attacks on each other over the violence at the Ram Navami procession. Twenty-seven people were arrested by the National Intelligence Agency, which was entrusted by the High Court to investigate the clashes in Haurashpur, Rishra in Hooghly district and Dalkola in Uttarakhand.

Similar incidents were reported from other states including Bihar.

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Bengal will vote in all seven phases of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections starting on Friday. Results will be announced on June 4. In the 2019 elections, the Trinamool defeated a strong showing by the Bharatiya Janata Party, winning 22 of the 18 seats. The Congress won the remaining two seats.