New Delhi: BJP MP Locket Chatterjee lambasted West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for the violence in Howrah during the Ram Navami procession. Speaking to ETV Bharat, she said, "This was not the first incident that, too, on the occasion of Ram Navami in Howrah. Pelting stones at Ram Navami processions have become a regular affair in West Bengal. Violence during Ram Navami processions took place in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019...during the Covid-19, it stopped because people were hesitant to assemble in crowded places. In previous years also violence broke out in Howrah."
Refuting the claims of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee that minorities don't indulge in violence in the holy month of Ramzan, the BJP leader said, "The claims are baseless. The CCTV footage speaks volumes about the Howrah violence." It appeared that CM Mamata Banerjee wants to say that Hindus do such things in Navratri, the BJP leader asked.
"Friday's incident in Howrah was more intense than Thursday's and that, too, after Friday's prayers. So, how she is making claims that Hindus are responsible for violence in Howrah?, asked Locket Chatterjee, adding "The Ram Navami procession was taken out in the route that was earmarked by the State government and CM had granted permission for it. But, the TMC government denied granting permission for the procession in the route where violence broke out.
"Police are not taking action against those who were responsible for the violence. Instead the victims were blamed for the incident and action is being taken against them. The CM should give the directive to arrest the culprits and she should stop minority appeasement. Wasn't she (CM) aware of the violence happening in the state? the Chief Minister was indulging in vote bank politics as panchayat elections are around the corner," she summed up.
