Over 50 Ram Navami Rallies in Kolkata; Police Step Up Security Till April 7 Amid Heatwave

Over 50 Ram Navami Rallies in Kolkata: More than 50 Ram Navami rallies - including five big processions - are expected to be conducted across Kolkata on Sunday. Demarcating routes and strengthening security were extended until April 7, said police on Saturday.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Verma held a meeting with senior officers of the Kolkata Police and inspected all key places on Saturday, to check the arrangements. He added that an additional 5,000 police would be added to the city force.

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Have been found at least 10 police districts and police commissionerates, such as Howrah, Siliguri, Malda, Murshidabad, Cooch Behar, Islampur, and Barrackpore, Chandannagar, as mentioned, are identified in the state. “Around 30 senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers have been tasked with maintaining law and order in these areas. Leaves for all police officers across the state have already been cancelled from April 2,” said an officer.

This while the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are trading barbs while state gears up to celebrate the occasion, evidenced by the Ram Navami-related posters and banners splashed across the city spots, including outside Raj Bhavan, Victoria Memorial, and the assembly.'

“The BJP is trying to make Ram Navami into a political event. They are not into politics of development. They want politics over religion. They want to create some disturbance. Bengal will not tolerate this,” TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said.

In areas like Sankrail in Howrah, rallies took place on Saturday under police presence. TMC is, however, planning to hold some rallies on Sunday to celebrate Ram Navami.

“A few million Hindus are expected to hit the road on Ram Navami. I would urge the state government to take steps so that it can be celebrated peacefully. Any attempts to forcefully halt the celebrations won’t be tolerated. Ram Navami celebrations will be held no matter what you do,” Sukanta Majumdar, state BJP president, said in a video message.

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RJD posters, with taken-on RJD president and former chief minister, Bihar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, and his family, can be spotted in some places.

An umbrella group of about 20 Hindu organizations had chalked plans of more than 2,000 rallies statewide on Ram Navami-day, on April 6, following which the authorities were given all strength to make further elaborate arrangements to counter communal violence.

“The next 10 days are important. We are requesting citizens to be on alert. Nobody should fall for provocation or rumors aimed at creating communal discord,” Jawed Shamim, additional director general of police (law and order), told the media a week ago.

The West Bengal police last week claimed to have foiled attempts to incite communal frenzy among communities over Ram Navami, an officer said.

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