West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose visited violence-hit Rishra in Hooghly district. , photo credit: Debashish Bhaduri
Cut short his attendance at the G-20 summit in Darjeeling, West Bengal Governor CV Anand Bose returned to Kolkata on April 4 and visited violence-hit Rishra in the state’s Hooghly district.
The Governor spoke to the local people and senior police officers and called for peace and said that strict action would be taken against the wrongdoers. he stressed the idiom “live and let live” (Live and let live) in Hindi and added that mob lynching should be rooted out.
“The people (of West Bengal) have a right to a peaceful life. That authority will certainly be established at any cost. The forces of evil will surely be contained and destroyed,” he said. The Governor said that there is no scope for differences as far as the unity of the people is concerned.
“We all stand united to stop this trend and assure people that they can enjoy freedom and peace. Bullying and violence will be put to an end.’
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Violence was reported in Rishra town of Hooghly district on Sunday after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice-president Dilip Ghosh took out a Ram Navami procession. Violence broke out again after a mob pelted stones at a train at Rishra railway station late on Monday night. The miscreants also set a police vehicle on fire. Train services were affected in the Howrah main line section due to the violence.
Home Ministry sought report
Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP President Sukant Majumdar has written a letter to Union Home Minister Amit Shah A report has been sought from the state government on the recent violence.
Speaking to reporters, state Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi said the situation in the state is peaceful except for a few “small incidents”.
Security personnel deployed near Rishra railway station amid tension following clashes between two groups during a Ram Navami procession, in Hooghly district on Sunday, April 4, 2023. Photo Credit: PTI
Governors not equal to predecessors, says Suvendu
Despite the Governor’s visit to Rishra, Leader of the Opposition Shubhendu Adhikari said that he had not played the role that his predecessors Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Jagdeep Dhankhar had played.
“In the last two decades, we have seen two governors who have shaken the conscience of the people of the state. The current governor has not played the role that Gopal Krishna Gandhi and Jagdeep Dhankhar played,” Mr Adhikari said.
The BJP MLA demanded that the control of Shibpur police station and Rishra police station be given to central forces under Article 355 of the Constitution. Mr Adhikari also suggested that instead of seeking a report from the state, the Governor should give a report to the Centre. Earlier in the day, BJP MP Locket Chatterjee was stopped from visiting violence-affected areas in Rishra and stopped at Rishra station. Prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC are in force in Rishra and parts of Shrirampur.
Criminal act, says Mamta
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing a public meeting at Digha in Purba Medinipur district, accused the BJP of “bringing people from outside the state to incite violence”.
The Chief Minister also termed the violence as a “criminal act”. In the guise of Ram Navami procession, they are asking people to carry guns and swords to incite violence. The person who was dancing with a gun in the Ram Navami procession, did Lord Rama ask him to carry a weapon during the procession?” Ms. Banerjee asked.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal Police on Tuesday arrested 19-year-old Sumit Shaw, who was allegedly seen in the video carrying a gun during the Ram Navami procession in Howrah on March 30. The accused was arrested from Munger in Bihar. The Trinamool Congress leadership had raised the issue of the gunman and alleged that the accused had links with the BJP.