With active participation from the ruling Trinamul Congress and its rival BJP, in separate programmes, Ram Navami was celebrated across the state peacefully till Wednesday evening.

No untoward incident was reported though the chief minister Mamata Banerjee for the past couple of days have been apprehending that the BJP would use Ram Navami festivities to engineer clashes between two groups ahead of the first phase elections on 19 April in three Lok Sabha (LS) constituencies, Cooch Behar, Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri.

Leaders of both ruling TMC and opposition saffron party marched along with hundreds of participants as Ram Navami processions were brought out across the city and districts in the state today.

Miss Banerjee greeted the people of the state on the occasion of Ram Navami and appealed to them to maintain peace and harmony. She also prayed for their prosperity and development.

“Greetings to all on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami. I appeal to maintain peace, prosperity and development for all,” the chief minister posted on X handle.

Following the directive of the Calcutta High Court, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) brought out a colourful procession of about 200 VHP workers in the Shibpur area in Howrah amidst tight security arrangements around 4pm. The procession, which started from the IIEST, Shibpur reached Ramkrishnapur Ghat through Kazipara and Mullickphatak along the G T Road.

Violence had erupted in the area in 2023 during the Ram Navami procession organized by the VHP.

Suvendu Adhikari, BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the state legislative Assembly participated in a procession in the New Town area in the city while state food processing and horticulture minister Arup Roy along with his party’s outgoing MP Prasun Banerjee, who is also a contestant in Howrah LS constituency, marched with a procession in northern part of Howrah town.

Trinamul Congress candidate from Jadavpur constituency also took part in a procession in Howrah.

Dipak Adhikari alias Dev, Trinamul Congress candidate in Ghatal parliamentary seat, also participated in a Ram Navami procession in his area and was found chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan which is usually a benchmark for the saffron camp.

In Barrackpore, BJP candidate Arjun Singh, who left the TMC after being overlooked as candidate by the Mamata Banerjee-led party, led another Ram Navami procession.

Similar processions with youths chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’, and holding saffron flags and replicas of swords amid frenzied beating of drums were witnessed in Bankura, Purulia, Durgapur, Asansol and elsewhere in the state.

Despite the administration forbidding display of arms in public, swords were displayed during Ram Navami processions in Howrah, Birbhum and Burdwan districts.

BJP Bardhaman candidate Dilip Ghosh also flaunted a sword at the Ram Navami procession in Durgapur.

Trinamul Congress outgoing MP from Birbhum Satabdi Roy, who is seeking re-election, also led a Ram Navami celebration in her constituency.

Some political observers in the city felt that the ruling Trinamul Congress leaders’ active participation in different programmes in connection with Ram Navami festivals in Kolkata and districts is significant ahead of the LS polls in the state.

“The saffron party usually organizes Ram Navami festivities every year across the country. This time, the ruling party and its leaders were found marching along with Ram Navami processions in the city and districts. “Trinamul Congress wants to woo Hindu voters as much as possible,” one of the observers said.

“Mamata Banerjee after becoming chief minister in Bengal in 2011 has given political space to the BJP in the state. The two parties have been doing politics of division in terms of religion since then in our state. This is a very dangerous trend for people of Bengal but no one will allow this politics of division,” said Sujan Chakraborty, a CPM central committee member.