Ram Navami violence: Name an election that the Bhartiya Janata Party has lost despite putting in all its effort. It’s the West Bengal assembly elections. We have already deliberated upon the reasons; today, I have made you recall the post-poll violence that took place in Bengal to draw parallels. Parallels to the current clashes, violence and stone-pelting that have taken place on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami.
Yes, it’s that time of the year again, when Hindus of the entire nation would be celebrating the occasion joyously and communal clashes would be reported. Liberals would blame the Hindus for playing ‘provocative songs’ during celebratory processions, alleging that this is what caused the Ram Navami violence.
And this is not an aberration. Last year too, clashes were reported from several states, including Gujarat, West Bengal, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh. Islamists had tried to derail the celebrations of Bhagwan Shri Ram’s arrival. And this year is no different.
Stone pelting at Ram Navami Processions in several states
Ram Navami has returned, and with that come the headlines of violence across the country with gory details. But before I read on the details, I want to ask you a question, which festival other than Ram Navami faces such hate, not only by sections of society but also the media? And second, why in a nation that is alleged to be ruled by Hindu-Nationalists. I recall what Dr. Jaishankar said: You don’t call them Christian Nationalists. Well, the statement in itself speaks volumes about the hatred that persists against Hindus living in the country.
Getting back to the Ram Navami violence, communal clashes and stone pelting were reported from several states, including West Bengal, Bihar, and Jharkhand. In Bengal, cities like Howrah and Hoogly witnessed incidents of violence; vehicles were torched and shops and auto-rickshaws ransacked. It was alleged that the Ram Navami procession was attacked outside a mosque at Rishra in Hooghly, and stones were pelted.
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The case is no different in Bihar. In Bihar sharif, there have been multiple incidents of violence. On Saturday night, fresh violence erupted, in which three people suffered bullet injuries and a 25-year-old died. Over 100 people have been arrested in relation to the violence. The situation is no different in Sasaram and Nalanda; the violence that sparked off on Thursday continued till Saturday.
In Jharkhand, too, skirmishes of violence were witnessed during Ram Navami. It was later re-ignited when clashes erupted in Sahibganj late Saturday during the immersion of a Chaiti Durga idol after stones were allegedly thrown on the procession. Shops have been damaged, along with motorcycles being torched. The situation is no better in the South. Islamists attacked Hindus for chanting devotional slogans during Ram Navami in Hyderabad.
What are the leaders doing?
I find you too naive if you still think that leaders are worried even a bit for what transpires on a Ram Navami. Why do I say this? It’s because of the way the leaders, with whom the responsibility of guaranteeing protection lies.
Let’s begin with West Bengal. The BJP has blamed the Trinamool Congress for the recent clashes in the state and has demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s resignation. BJP’s Hooghly MP Locket Chatterjee also called for the Centre’s intervention and demanded a National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe into the violence.
She said, “This is the result of a pre-planned conspiracy by Mamata Banerjee to consolidate Muslim votes and to make the Muslims happy. Mamata Banerjee is lying. We want the central government to see this (matter) properly. We are demanding an NIA probe.”
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How has Banerjee responded? She is busy slamming, this is how it has been reported, the Bhartiya Janata Party over the clashes in the state during Ram Navami rallies. Well, why? Last we checked; she was still the chief minister of the state. She has to say that the BJP deliberately entered minority areas with the processions without permission.
What is that supposed to mean? Are societies in India divided into areas like minority areas and majority areas, and are they not allowed to enter each other’s spaces? You might be a bit confused. Well, let me clear the fog; it is just the minority and secular areas. Yes, that’s how it is. Let’s move to Bihar
Bihar’s chief minister, Nitish Kumar, is living on some la-la land. Else, why would he say that there is no law-and-order problem? Excuse me, sir, but if communal clashes are taking place, bullets are being fired, and vehicles are being torched, there is a serious law and order crisis in the state.
Kumat, on Saturday, said the violence at Sasaram in Rohtas and Biharsharif in his home district of Nalanda during Ram Navami festivities was not “natural” but deliberately done by some people indulging in mischief to disturb peace and harmony in the society.
Why do the home minister’s remarks make no sense?
On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Emperor Ashok, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had to address a rally organised at Sasaram on Sunday; however, he cancelled the trip in the wake of prohibitory orders in the area. The address then took place in Nawada on Sunday. What did he say?
“Sasaram mein aag lagi hai; Bihar-sharif mein aag lagi hai. Purn bahumat se hamari sarkar banaiye, dangaiyon ko ulta latka denge. Hamare shashan mein dange nahi hote,” which translates to Sasaram is on fire; Biharsharif is on fire. Give the BJP a full majority (in the 2025 Assembly polls) and we would hang rioters upside down. (Riots don’t take place under our rule.)
Well, the people of Bihar might be thinking it’s the Chanakya of the same party speaking, who has been an ally in the government of Nitish Kumar for over a decade. Better than that, the home minister is speaking this way. The statement probably means that the central government can only save the people of Bihar when there is a double-engine government or the BJP is elected to power with a full majority.
Probably the BJP has forgotten that the mandate was for the BJP itself, but they chose to be subverted by the leader of a party who stood at the third position in the list of votes. It’s probably the repeat of post-poll violence in Bengal, where the Hindus are on their own while the BJP and the opposition CMs are busy playing blame games.
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