After Ram Navami clashes, Hanuman Jayanti celebrated peacefully in Bengal

The Hanuman Jayanti celebrations passed off peacefully in West Bengal as security forces maintained a strict vigil across the state to avoid a rerun of the violence that marked the Ram Navami festival last week.

Following a Calcutta High Court order, three companies of central armed police forces were deployed in parts of Kolkata, Hooghly and Barrackpore to assist the state police in maintaining law and order during the day.

"The celebrations have been peaceful. No untoward incident happened," a senior police official said.

The peaceful Hanuman Jayanti celebrations in presence of central forces were in sharp contrast to the violence and arson during the Ram Navami festival in Howrah and Hooghly, sparking a fresh war of words between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP.

The saffron camp questioned the administrative capabilities of the Mamata Banerjee-led state government. The TMC, on the other hand, claimed that while the BJP leaders “fomented trouble” during Ram Navami, they behaved like “good boys” on Hanuman Jayanti on realising that the violence was backfiring politically on the party.

Governor CV Ananda Bose visited different parts of Kolkata in the morning, oversaw the security measures, and interacted with the citizens.

"People are cooperating. I think today will be a very happy day. Bengal will set the trend in peace and harmony in society," he told reporters while visiting Ekbalpore area in south Kolkata. Earlier, he went to a Hanuman temple at Lake Town on the eastern fringe of the city and offered puja.

Bose, who had visited Rishra and Serampore areas which had witnessed violence over Ram Navami processions recently, is likely to go to Delhi on Friday, a Raj Bhavan source said.

The chief minister’s office also kept a sharp eye on the previously affected districts and top police officers constantly monitored the situation to ensure there was no untoward incident.

“The extra precautions paid off,” said a top West Bengal Police officer.

The situation in certain areas of Rishra and Serampore in Hooghly district is peaceful on Thursday. Prohibitory orders are still imposed in those areas, and internet is suspended, police said.

Senior BJP leader Locket Chatterjee sat on demonstration after the police stopped her from visiting her Hooghly Lok Sabha constituency to attend Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, citing the law and order situation following clashes between two groups during Ram Navami celebrations in the district earlier this week.

She said, "The police stopped me though I am the local MP. I was invited to attend the Hanuman Jayanti programme there. But the police are asking me to go back. Why is an elected representative stopped from visiting her constituency?" The BJP leader told reporters that she informed the governor about the incident, and he had said he would look into it.

Videos showing a procession at Bansberia in Hooghly, in which participants were carrying arms have surfaced.

Police said one such rally was organised and 10 people were arrested on the charge of violating the Arms Act.

Senior officers of the Hooghly and Barrackpore Police Commissionerate in North 24 Parganas accompanied the central forces deployed there.

In Kolkata, the central forces were deployed in Amherst Street, Jorasanko, Park Circus, Kidderpore and port areas, an official said.

The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said it has organised 500 Hanuman Jayanti programmes across the state.

"All the programmes and rallies were held as per the directions given by the administration. We took out a few small rallies. No major congregation was organised," VHP state spokesperson Sourish Mukherjee told PTI.

Special pujas were also being held at Hanuman temples across West Bengal on the occasion, a phenomenon relatively new to the state.

The BJP said it has not organised any rally, but its leaders might have participated in Hanuman Jayanti celebrations.

The peaceful celebrations also became fodder for the war of words between the TMC and the BJP.

"During Ram Navami celebrations, state police were in charge, and we have seen what had happened. The state police behaved like cadres of the ruling party, and thus the law and order situation in the state had gone for a toss last week," BJP national vice-president Dilip Ghosh said.

The TMC accused the BJP of fomenting trouble during the Ram Navami celebrations and behaving like "good boys" on Hanuman Jayanti.

"During Ram Navami, the BJP, VHP and their affiliates created problems by defying police directives. But today, as central forces are on the watch, they didn't get involved in such misadventure and behaved like good boys," TMC state general secretary Kunal Ghosh said.