Two persons were arrested in West Bengal’s Silliguri district on March 30, ahead of the allegations that they climbed to the top of a madrassa and hoisted a saffron flag during a Ramnavami procession a day before the arrest. The incident took place in the Kawakhali area of West Bengal and ignited tensions between the communities.
The arrests were made on March 30, and police said the investigations are underway to learn the cognizance of the full events, including the extent to which the property was damaged and the role of other participants.
The video of the incident soon made rounds on the internet, demonstrating a large number of Hindutva members, including some with swords and dancing and raising provocative religious slogans in front of the madrassa.
Later in the video it is seen that one from the crowd climbed the madrassa and tied a saffron thread or a flag on the dome of the madrassa while dancing. It has also been alleged that some walls of the religious structure were also vandalized during the event.
The incident was followed by outrage among the Muslim community, both online and offline. Reacting to the incident, local residents from the Muslim community submitted a mass petition to the authorities, leading Kawakhali police to take suo motu cognizance of the matter.
Furthermore, a case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case includes sections like Section 196 for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, Section 299 for maliciously insulting the religion or religious beliefs of any class, and Section 353(2) for promoting enmity between different classes. The situation in Kawakhali remains under scrutiny to abstain from further escalation.
Communal Disturbance during Ram Navami
Earlier than this, nineteen people had been arrested in connection with a stone-pelting incident that broke out during a Ram Navami procession in the Bhikraipur area of Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, police said on Saturday.
According to officials, at least six people sustained injuries when clashes erupted on Friday evening as the procession passed through the locality. The situation, however, was brought under control soon after police intervened.
In yet another incident, mob allegedly belonging to the Hindutva community turned violent during a Ram Navami rally in Murshidabad’s Jangipur locality, leading to the ransacking of around 40 shops and setting fire to several others on Friday afternoon, resulting in a fresh wave of communal tension in the region ahead of the Assembly polls. As per the sources, the tension spiraled when a Ram Navami procession, along with loud music and dance, passed a mosque while Friday prayers were underway.
Heated arguments were exchanged when the objections were raised by those offering the prayers, leading to the mob climbing onto the rooftops of Muslim houses and hoisting saffron flags, vandalizing shops, and thrashing residents.
The situation flared and resulted in such tension that the police were forced to pound and lathi charge to disperse the crowd.
