Ram Navami celebrations begin in Bengal; over 60 rallies in Kolkata, police on high alert

Kolkata: Ram Navami celebrations began across West Bengal on Sunday morning with vibrant processions and chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’, as devotees thronged the streets to soak in the religious fervour, amid heightened security in the state to maintain law and order during the celebrations.

The festive spirit was palpable on the streets, with saffron flags, devotional music and tableaux depicting scenes from the Ramayana adding to the grandeur of the celebrations.

In Kolkata alone, more than 60 rallies have been planned, prompting the deployment of around 4,000 to 5,000 police personnel. Senior officials, including those of the rank of deputy commissioner and joint commissioner, have been tasked with overseeing security across the rally routes.

“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,” state BJP president Sukanta Majumdar asserted.

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of a Ram Mandir in his Nandigram assembly constituency, has also lined up programmes in Howrah and Purba Medinipur.

Adhikari recently claimed that not less than 1.5 crore Hindus would come out to celebrate Ram Navami this year, and more than 2,000 rallies would be organised across the state.

BJP-aligned Hindutva organisations, including the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Hindu Jagaran Manch, are also organising processions in West Bengal.

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and its affiliates have reportedly set a target of mobilising over three crore participants during the week-long celebrations that began on Sunday, with rallies planned in every block of the state.

The ruling Trinamool Congress, meanwhile, has accused the BJP of trying to communalise the 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.

Police sources said that drones and CCTVs are being used extensively to keep a close tab on all processions. Quick response teams have also been stationed at sensitive locations such as Entally, Cossipore, Khidderpore and Chitpore in Kolkata.

Live footage of the rallies is being streamed to the Kolkata Police headquarters at Lalbazar, where more than 20 IPS officers have been assigned to supervise different city divisions.

In the districts, senior IPS officers are monitoring the situation in Howrah, Hooghly, North 24 Parganas, Asansol in Paschim Bardhaman, Purba Bardhaman, Malda, Murshidabad, Jalpaiguri, and Siliguri to ensure that the celebrations remain peaceful.

The backdrop of this year’s Ram Navami includes recent incidents of violence against Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh and the run-up to the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections, making the celebrations politically charged.

What has traditionally been a religious occasion has now emerged as a significant flashpoint in the ongoing tussle between the BJP and the TMC, with both parties accusing each other of trying to use religion for political gains.

While the BJP is pushing to consolidate Hindu votes, the TMC has accused the saffron party of trying to provoke unrest in the state.