Bengal BJP leaders participate in Ram Navami rallies across state

BJP Bengal state President Sukanta Majumdar led a Ram Navami rally in Howrah, which received permission from the Calcutta High Court.

Earlier in a video message, he said: "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.”

Woman firebrand leader Locket Chatterjee also took part in a Ram Navami procession in Kolkata's NewTown area on a bike.

"People are on the roads to take part in the procession as we are celebrating Ram Navami. Ram is all over the country and in West Bengal. We don't need anyone's permission; only West Bengal is a place where we need permission to celebrate our religious festival. Police don't give permission; we always get permission from the court. The police are working here as the cadre and not the police," she said.

Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Suvendu Adhikari participated in the foundation-laying ceremony of the Ram Mandir at Sonachuda in Nandigram.

In Bengal's Midnapore, former state president Dilip Ghosh took out a bike rally to mark the Ram Navami celebrations.

Meanwhile, with over 50 Ram Navami rallies planned in Kolkata on Sunday, including five large processions, police have demarcated routes and deployed heavy security cover, which will remain in place until April 7, media reports said.

Commissioner of Kolkata Police Manoj Verma met with senior officers of the city police and visited key locations to check the preparations on Saturday.

An additional 5,000 police personnel have been deployed in the city, he said.

The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were seen trading barbs at each other in the build-up to Ram Navami celebrations.

Several posters and banners related to Ram Navami have been put up across the city by the saffron outfit, including outside the Raj Bhavan, Victoria Memorial, and the legislative 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 were held on Saturday, with large contingents of police deployed.

The TMC has also planned to hold some rallies on Sunday to celebrate Ram Navami.