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Updated March 31st, 2023 at 19:58 IST

Howrah clashes: Political blame game sees BJP, TMC go hammer & tongs against each other

While the saffron party accused the TMC for the attack, the Mamata Banerjee-led party said that the violence was pre-planned. 

Reported by: Digital Desk
West Bengal
Image: PTI | Image:self
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After violent clashes occurred in the Shibpur area of West Bengal’s Howrah district on Ram Navami, the political faceoff between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Trinamool Congress (TMC) intensified on Friday with both parties blaming each other for the violence. While the saffron party accused the TMC for the attack, the Mamata Banerjee-led party said that the violence was pre-planned. 

Launching an attack on the ruling TMC, BJP leader Suvendhu Adhikari said that the violence took place to target the Ram Navami Shobha Yatra. “The police is not doing its work. They are silent spectators. They are not doing anything. All houses of Hindus have been vandalised. All Hindus in the Kazipara area had to flee to save their lives,” he added. 

Meanwhile, Adhikari has submitted a CD to the Police Commissioner that he claimed to have the visuals of the violence that took place during the Ram Navami procession. The Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly has also filesd a PIL in Calcutta High Court pertaining to incidents of violence in Howrah and Dalkhola, praying for an NIA probe and immediate deployment of Central Forces in such areas. 

TMC blames BJP 

Accusing the BJP for initiating the violence, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee said, “This was pre-planned. From Shyambazar, a BJP leader was saying to keep eye on TV tomorrow. Why? Just a day before, that leader met with the Home Minister and came to Shyambazar.”

“There was no reply to Howrah Police Commissionerate regarding details of permission copy, the exact number of participants and exact beginning and end of the rally. They did not submit any documents but started taking out a procession on the route which was not permitted,” he added.

Further issuing a challenge to the saffron party, the TMC leader said, “If there is any lapse from the police side, they will be booked and action will be taken as the Chief Minister said.”

Another stone pelting incident in Howrah 

A day after a violence broke out during the Ram Navami procession, another incident of stone pelting and violence took place in West Bengal’s Shibpur area of Howrah district on Friday. The recent incidents of violence in the state have also given a rise to a political faceoff between the BJP and TMC.

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Published March 31st, 2023 at 19:58 IST

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