Ram Navami rallies: Tension prevails in pockets of Bengal
Police patrolled neighbourhoods in Purulia’s Beldi village, Raniganj town in West Burdwan district and Kankinara in North 24 Parganas, where three people lost their lives since Sunday.
Pockets of Bengal continued to simmer in tension as prohibitory orders were clamped following the death of three people in widespread violence over Ram Navami processions since March 25.
Police patrolled neighbourhoods in Purulia’s Beldi village, Raniganj town in West Burdwan district and Kankinara in North 24 Parganas, where three people lost their lives since Sunday.
“Police pickets and constant patrolling will continue till the time normalcy is restored,” said Joy Biswas, Purulia superintendent of police. The police have arrested 17 people till Tuesday.
In Beldi village in Purulia, Sheikh Sajahan, 50, was killed when he was caught in a clash that between police and Bajrang Dal supporters on Sunday afternoon.
On Tuesday, Bajrang Dal activists staged protests in front of the Purulia Sadar police station alleging that their activists were falsely implicated in the case.
Section 144 were clamped in the industrial belt of Raniganj. “Although the situation is normal now, police picketing will continue for some more time,” said L N Meena, commissioner of Asansol Durgapur Police.
Tension also prevailed at Kakinara in North 24 Parganas district, where a local balloon-seller was killed on Monday morning after he was caught in a clash between groups of people who treid to vandalise a statue of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and those who tried to thwart them.
“Though the situation seems to be normal now, we are not taking any chances. Section 144 is in force. Police pickets have been set up,” said a police official of the district, who did not wish to be named. A total of 13 people were arrested in this area.
Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has blamed the BJP for the violence over Ram Navami. “Did Lord Ram ask people to carry pistols and swords,” she remarked at an administrative review meeting in South 24 Parganas district on Monday.
State BJP president Dilip Ghosh denied the charges.
Union minister of state heavy industries and Asamsol Lok Sabha MP , Babul Supriyo, tweeted that the Bengal government was resorting to appeasement politics and Hindus were being subjected to torture.
“The goons from minority community came, slaughtered and was given a safe haven to escape.. The entire nation needs to know how dirty a politics of appeasement Mamta Govt is playing in Bengal,” he wrote on Twitter, referring to the trouble in Raniganj on Monday.
“The Bengali Hindus will be constrained to take things in their own hands to protect themselves and their religion,” said the national spokesman of Viswa Hindu Parishad, Vinod Vansal, in a statement cautioning the Bengal chief minister.