Sun Apr 06 03:57:41 UTC 2025: ## West Bengal on High Alert Ahead of Ram Navami Amidst Heightened Tensions

**Kolkata, April 6, 2025** – West Bengal is on edge as Ram Navami approaches, with the state bracing for large-scale processions following calls from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and other Hindutva groups for massive participation. Authorities are taking no chances after past years’ violence.

Hundreds of processions are planned across the state, prompting a significant police presence. Senior officials are patrolling major cities including Kolkata, Chandannagar, Howrah, and Islampur. Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma stated that nearly all senior officers will be deployed on Sunday, emphasizing that the Calcutta High Court’s guidelines for processions have been communicated to organizers. Approximately 80 applications for processions have been received by Kolkata Police alone. Howrah is employing drones for aerial surveillance of high-rise buildings.

Concerns stem from past Ram Navami violence, including a 2024 crude bomb explosion in Murshidabad and incidents in Howrah and North Bengal in 2023. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee urged citizens to disregard rumors and accused both the BJP and the Left of attempting to incite riots. In contrast, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari predicted 15 million Hindu participants and encouraged unity across castes. He also alleged that some youths are being preemptively detained.

The Calcutta High Court has granted permission with conditions to certain organizations, limiting gatherings to 1000 people. The Trinamool Congress dismissed the heightened attention surrounding Ram Navami as a BJP political ploy, a view echoed by academics and activists who question the weaponization of religious festivals. A 2024 report highlighted the TMC’s involvement, along with the BJP, in organizing and supporting such processions, citing instances of communal violence in various districts. The state remains tense as the festival unfolds.

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