Kolkata: The political atmosphere in West Bengal heats up as the Bhartiya Janata Party and Trinamool Congress battle around the festival. Suvendu Adhikari, leader of the opposition in the state assembly, announced that over one crore people will be on the roads of Bengal to celebrate Ram Navmi. The Trinamool Congress accused the BJP of politicising the festival.
The Calcutta High Court on Saturday overturned the decision of the Bengal police, permitting Hindu organisations to take out processions on Ram Navami this year. The court also gave a green signal to a procession in Howrah under certain conditions. The decision comes as a precautionary measure noting violent clashes in many areas of Bengal during the festival last year.
The court stated that no weapons shall be carried during the procession. The number of participants has been limited to 500 in the procession which will be closely monitored by the police. The court also directed the police to strictly oversee the procession in Howrah.
The Howrah district police denied permission to the Hindu organisations to hold a Ram Mandir procession this year citing the violent clash including stone-pelting incidences in the past two years. The police explained that the event is potentially contentious as the procession passes through a Muslim-Majority area.
After the police denied permission, different organisations including Anjani Putra Sena and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) challenged the decision in the Calcutta High Court. The court finally gave permission to hold the processions after laying specific conditions.
