Kolkata: Kolkata’s Mayor and senior Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Firhad Hakim has expressed his apprehension that people from other states may come to Bengal to foment trouble during Ram Navami celebrations on April 6. Hakim said many people from other states stay here but only a miniscule percentage of them create trouble. It can be checked if the trouble makers can be identified. Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari has already said that rallies will be taken out where the participants will hit streets brandishing arms. “Hindus will reign in Hindustan, and those who work for Hindus will reign in West Bengal. If all Hindus unite, the Trinamool Congress will bite the dust ... ,” said BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari raising the pitch against Mamata Banerjee’s Trinamool government as the state gears up for the Ram Navami festival on April 6.
Hakim on the other hand said that any attempt by the BJP to trigger chaos will be a futile exercise as the people of Bengal will never allow politics of religion.“Nothing will happen on the day of Ram Navami. People of Bengal believe in Ramakrishna’s doctrine “Jatou Mot, Totou Path”. Politics of religion is not acceptable in Bengal. BJP leaders expect that they will win the elections in Bengal. They (BJP) will never come to power if they continue to indulge in politics of religion,” he said. Senior BJP leader Dilip Ghosh in his recent statement asked their partymen to come out on the streets fully prepared. Trinamool Congress leaders take exceptions of BJP leaders’ public statements which, the TMC believes may instigate violence. Adhikari had announced that around one crore Hindus will participate in over 20,000 processions to be held across the state on Ram Navami and any attempts to stop the festivities would be resisted strongly. He had also said that a massive rally will come out at Egra on April 8 and another one at Shyampur on April 7. Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Affairs minister Sobhondeb Chattopadhyay also claimed that BJP was playing “religion card” and resorting to “religious polarisation”. Chattopadhyay said failure in all other sectors prompts a party to resort to religious card and polarization politics. Much discussions revolved around Hindutva and Ram Navami celebrations with BJP leadership, specially Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhiakri shouting slogans “Hindu reign in Hindustan” and playing the Hindutva card for coming to power in 2026.