In the celebration of Ram Navami on Sunday in West Bengal, a lively mix of religious enthusiasm and political mobilization was seen, in which high-profile rallies and processions were taken out across the state. The leaders of both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) participated in the programs organized amidst tight security due to concerns of possible unrest. TMC accused the BJP of trying to unite Hindu votes through Ram Navami celebrations.
Prior to the 2026 assembly elections, the Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA from Nandigram Shubhendu Adhikari laid the foundation stone of Ram temple in Sonchura village in East Medinipur district. The site holds historical significance as it was the center of anti -land acquisition demonstrations of 2007, where at least seven protesters were killed in firing by miscreants.
Shubhendu laid the foundation stone of Ram temple in Sonchura
Amidst the slogans of Jai Shri Ram (Lord Rama’s Jai), Shubhendu Adhikari wearing saffron clothes led a rally from Shaheed Minar to the proposed temple site in Sonchura. He told reporters, “We are peace -loving people; we will never do anything that is equal to breaking the law.”
The official said that the devotees were busy with prayer and devotional songs, insisting that it has been a traditional way of celebrating Ram Navami for thousands of years. He rejected the political propaganda around the occasion and said, “There was no need to campaign around the festival.” Describing Lord Rama as “a symbol of faith and faith for Hindus”, the official said that soon a temple will be built at that place.
Police on Ramnavami in Bengal
Throughout West Bengal, about 2,500 rallies were set up, in which more than 6,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure peace. The festival started on Sunday morning, including devotees wearing saffron clothes, religious mantras and processions depicting scenes of Ramayana.
In Howrah, BJP MP Sukant Majumdar attended Anjani son Sena rally in Shibpur, while fellow party leader Soumitra Khan performed his sticks (lathi drill) skills during a procession in Bankura. In Salkia, North Howrah, TMC Councilor Gautam Chaudhary attended a rally organized by Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Police clashed during procession in New Town
Tension increased in New Town near Kolkata, where BJP leader Lockett Chatterjee led a procession which was stopped by the police near Kishtopur. Police had set up barricades near VIP Road leading to Salt Lake. After a sharp noise, Chatterjee questioned the police step and said, “This is not a political rally.” This is a spiritual meeting in which people voluntarily participated. How can the police stop this rally, which has necessary permission?
He later sidelined the barricades and urged people to take an alternative route. The rally, which started from the Ram temple in New Town, was to end at the Hanuman temple in Dum Dum, in which BJP leader Arjun Singh attended the initial phase.
Worship was also done in Jadavpur University
On the other hand, TMC MLA Shaukat Molla attended a rally in Bhanghar. At Jadavpur University, the students of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) refused the university administration to organize the Ram Navami ceremony inside the campus. He created a temporary platform with a clay statue of Lord Rama and prayed.
In an encouraging performance of communal harmony, Muslims in Malda distributed sweets and water to the participants of the Ram Navami rally and offered flowers on the occasion. In Cooch Behar, VHP took out a grand procession, while BJP leader Karthik Pal led a rally in Islampur in Raiganj, which was previously stopped by police barricades. The rally started again after Pal staged.