KOLKATA: Amidst heightened security, Ram Navami celebrations were marked by political tension and instances of open display of arms in parts of West Bengal, sparking a fresh war of words between the BJP and the ruling Trinamool Congress.
In Kolkata alone, more than 70 rallies were planned, prompting the deployment of nearly 4,000 to 5,000 police personnel. Drones and CCTV surveillance were used extensively to monitor the situation.
Quick response teams were stationed in sensitive areas such as Entally, Cossipore, Khidderpore, and Chitpore.
Celebrations began across the state on Sunday morning with vibrant processions, devotional music, saffron flags, and tableaux depicting scenes from the Ramayana, as devotees thronged the streets chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’.
However, several rallies reported open display of weapons. In Malda, a large procession started from Ramakrishna Palli Maidan with participants openly brandishing swords and other arms.
Similar scenes were reported from Sankrail in Howrah, where organisers allegedly did not have official permission to carry weapons. Police sources confirmed that legal action is likely to be taken for violating the event’s terms.
Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh stirred controversy during the celebrations by defending the presence of arms at religious processions. “What’s wrong if someone carries a weapon?” he said.
Targeting Jadavpur University, Ghosh added, “If slogans like ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ can be tolerated, what’s the problem with chanting ‘Jai Shri Ram’ in Jadavpur?”
Meanwhile, BJP state president Sukanta Majumder said, “Lakhs of Hindus are expected to hit the roads on Ram Navami. I would urge the state government to take steps so that it can be celebrated peacefully. Any attempts to forcefully halt the celebrations won’t be tolerated. Ram Navami celebrations will be held, no matter what you do.”
In New Town, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee claimed her Ram Navami rally was stopped by police, prompting a change in route. She was seen engaging in a heated argument with police personnel after the procession was halted near Keshtopur on the city’s northern fringes. Police said barricades had been placed at the Keshtopur crossing near VIP Road after the rally attempted to enter Salt Lake.
Chatterjee later walked past the barricades and instructed participants to take an alternative route to avoid further confrontation. She was seen riding a two-wheeler at the beginning of the rally from a Ram temple in New Town, joined briefly by party leader Arjun Singh.
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, after laying the foundation stone of a Ram Mandir in his Nandigram assembly constituency in East Midnapore, said, “The TMC is afraid of Hindus and that is why in various parts of the state they are trying to create unrest.”
The Trinamool Congress has accused the BJP of trying to communalise the religious occasion. “The BJP is trying to turn Ram Navami into a political event. They are not into the politics of development. They want politics over religion and create some sort of disturbance. Bengal will not tolerate this,” said TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.
In the districts, senior IPS officers were deployed to oversee the celebrations in Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Burdwan, Malda, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri, and Siliguri to ensure peaceful conduct of events.
This year’s Ram Navami celebrations are being held against the backdrop of recent incidents of violence against Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh and the politically charged run-up to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.