The West Bengal police, on 26 March, booked an FIR against state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh for allegedly carrying a sword during the Ram Navami rally in Kharagpur on 25 March. An FIR was also lodged against BJP leader Locket Chatterjee on charges of leading a rally holding a trishul in Rampurhat, reported ANI.
Chatterjee also posted a photo of her holding the trishul on Twitter.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Monday, 26 March, slammed the armed rallies taken out on Ram Navami in Purulia district of the state and said: “Some goons are misusing name of Ram.”
Has Ram ever said to take out rally with weapons? Some goons are misusing the name of Ram. I allowed peaceful rallies, but didn’t allow entry into other’s houses with pistols or killing them in Ram’s name.WB Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to ANI
The celebration of Ram Navami on 25 March saw the BJP, the Sangh Parivar outfits and the TMC take out organised rallies in West Bengal, despite the Mamata Banerjee government having laid down a ban against armed rallies.
One Killed in Clashes: Report
The Indian Express reported that one person was killed and five policemen injured in clashes between right wing activists and police forces in Beldi village – a Muslim-dominated area in Purulia district on 25 March. As per reports, participants began pelting stones at the police when they tried to stop them.
However, police sources told The Quint that the death was not a result of the clashes. Sheikh Sahjahan, 50, died of a cardiac arrest while on his way to the hospital.
BJP, TMC Processions Were Armed, Claims Reports
A number of armed rallies were taken out by the Sangh affiliates in various parts of the state, including Birbhum, West Midnapore and Howrah districts, with men, women and even minors walking with sharp weapons like swords, knives and axes and saffron flags while chanting the name of Lord Rama.
West Bengal Commission for protection for child rights, on 26 March, has summoned the district coordinator and additional district coordinator of the Bajrang Dal in Purulia to appear in person on 12 April at commission's office.
The police made 16 arrests in connection to the armed rallies, The Indian Express reported. They also seized arms from other rallies in the state. Many heavyweight state BJP leaders were also seen participating in the procession with weapons. The party's state unit president Dilip Ghosh rallied with a sword in West Midnapore, while state women wing chief Locket Chatterjee carried a trident. Party's national secretary Rahul Sinha was also seen brandishing a weapon at a rally.
The Trinamool organised colourful Ram Navami processions in every district. Some reports, however, claimed that some of the TMC processions were armed as well.
State ministers Jyotipriyo Mullick, Bratya Basu Laxmi Ratan Sukla, and Lok Sabha member Sougata Roy led large processions in their respective constituencies and condemned the armed rallies as "hooliganism in the name of religion".
(With inputs from IANS)
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