Clashes erupt in Bengal’s Hooghly during Ram Navami rally, BJP MLA ‘injured’; internet snapped

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) alleged on Sunday evening that a Ram Navami rally was attacked outside a mosque at Rishra in West Bengal’s Hooghly district and claimed that its local legislator was injured, following which prohibitory orders were imposed and the internet was suspended.

BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh, who took part in the rally, shared a video on social media saying stones were pelted from a mosque. The fresh violence took place days after the criminal investigation department (CID) of the West Bengal Police started a probe into incidents of violence surrounding Ram Navami celebrations at Shibpur in Howrah district on March 30 and 31.

BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah late on Sunday evening seeking the latter’s intervention. “In view of the deteriorating law and order situation, we immediately seek your kind intervention as per law so that the situation does not go out of control and life and property of ordinary citizens are saved,” the letter said.

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Dilip Ghosh told the media that Biman Ghosh, the BJP MLA from Purshura constituency in Hooghly, was injured in the stone pelting and had to be hospitalised.

The BJP’s media cell shared a video of Dilip Ghosh briefing the local media in Hooghly about the alleged violence. In this video, Biman Ghosh could be seen standing beside Dilip Ghosh and talking to someone over phone. The party posted another video in which Biman Ghosh, dressed in the same attire, could be seen lying on a stretcher.

Dilip Ghosh alleged that his life was in danger and party workers somehow shielded him from the stones. “We know that this violence is a fallout of chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s politics of appeasement. Why should common people become victims of her politics?” Dilip Ghosh said.

A Hooghly district police officer, on condition of anonymity, said the incident did take place but the situation was quickly brought under control and five people were detained.

“The police were on the alert after the Howrah incidents. A huge contingent was escorting the Ram Navami rally at Rishra,” he said.

The state home department suspended internet services in the Rishra and Mahesh areas of Hooghly from 11pm on Sunday to 11pm on Monday, government officials said citing an order. Movement of traffic on certain roads was also restricted till Monday.

The incident triggered a reaction among Muslims who are observing the month of Ramzan. MD Yahiya, president of the Bengal Imams Association, told HT that local Muslims were preparing to break the day’s fast inside the mosque when stones were pelted by people who took part in the Ram Navami rally.

“The local Muslims were provoked. People in the rally pelted stones and made obscene remarks. Police controlled the situation very quickly and arrested some men,” Yahiya said.

Trinamool Congress state general secretary Kunal Ghosh alleged that BJP leaders are using Ram Navami rallies to create disturbance in every district.

“This is part of their strategy to create unrest. The government will conduct a thorough inquiry into what happened today,” Kunal Ghosh said.