The violence that began with the Rama Navami procession making its way through the labyrinth of narrow streets of Howrah, Hooghly, and elsewhere is still simmering. Peace overtures seem non-existent, as the main political parties are at loggerheads in their attempts to gain maximum mileage from the communal violence.
The present riots are not the first ones in Mamata’s regime of nearly 12 years. In some places, there has been bloody violence between Hindus, who make up the majority, and Muslims, who make up the minority. The state has, however, tackled the disquiet with iron gloves, and the media has been warned not to broadcast or publicise any riot-related news. All had obliged in the larger interest of the state and for the return of peace. This time it seems different, with the TV channels unshackling themselves and repeating telecasts of the violence in Shibpur, Rishra, and other places.
Mamata, after the arrest and release of the ISF MLA, Naushad Sidiqqui seems a bit nervous. The ISF MLA was in jail for 42 days before being released, and he has threatened that his community will respond severely to the state’s highhandedness. Mamata absolved the minority community of any wrongdoing, saying that they do not indulge in any violence in the holy month of Ramzan, and readily found fault with the Rama Navami processionists, questioning their choice of route through the ‘Muslim-majority mohallas.’
One youth in the Rama Navami procession, brandishing a country-made revolver, was arrested in Mungher, Bihar, and the Chief Minister promptly grabbed the incident to portray that the BJP had brought in outsiders to foment violence in a planned manner. It may or may not be true, but the truth is also that stones were hurled at the processionists from many building tops that were owned or occupied by Muslims.
In the past few years, violence has become a regular part of the Ramanavami procession, which is sad. It was the duty of the government to send a strong signal to the arsonists by deploying sufficient numbers of security personnel. Mamata Banerjee must constantly remember that she is also the state home minister and is directly responsible for law and order. Passing the blame to any other subordinates is unbecoming of her and must be avoided.
With the Panchayat elections looming around the corner, no one wants to yield space and is trying to extract every last drop of advantage from the sad events. Following a request from the union home minister, the state governor visited the troubled areas and took stock of the situation, even as the LoP was shouting about the need for an NIA investigation and demanding central forces. The failure of proper governance is increasingly forcing the opposition to seek the Calcutta High Court’s intervention, which is not good for any democracy.
Tomorrow, April 6, 2023, is Hanuman Jayanti and, expectedly, another flashpoint, with both communities readying for a showdown and a show of strength. I guess the presence of the central forces to prevent any untoward incidents is desired, and I wonder if the ego of the Bengal CM and her government will permit such deployment.
Sadly, holy chants like “Jai Shri Ram” or “Allah-hu-Akbar” have become war cries in West Bengal to poke and provoke. Can we be the peace doves?
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
