Clashes erupted between BJP workers and the police in several districts of West Bengal over the celebration of the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday.
The West Bengal government has imposed a complete lockdown across the state to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The clashes took place in the districts of West Medinipur, Alipurduar and North 24 Paraganas.
The BJP workers clashed with the police in the Kharagpur town of West Medinipur district when the saffron party workers took out a procession despite the lockdown in the state. According to two sources in the district, police when police personnel tried to stop the procession, the BJP workers turned aggressive and got involved in a scuffle with them. More than a dozen BJP workers were arrested following the incident, police sources said.
The BJP workers were allegedly stopped by police in the Alipurduar town of Alipurduar district. Police promptly dispersed the crowd.
The incidents sparked a war of words between the BJP and the TMC. Accusing the TMC government “hurting the sentiments of the Hindus” BJP state president Dilip Ghosh said that his party has repeatedly requested the state government not to impose complete lockdown on this day but it was adamant in going ahead with its “anti-Hindu” decisions.
The TMC leadership rubbished the allegations. TMC MP Saugata Roy said that there is nothing wrong with celebrations but since the lockdown was imposed to bring down Covid-19 infection, no one should violate it.
The celebrations in Kolkata, however, were peaceful. BJP workers held pujas in some parts of North and Central Kolkata. Some state BJP leaders including the Bengal BJP president held pujas at their home. Celebrations held by BJP workers in Jalpaiguri district in North Bengal were also peaceful. VHP workers also held similar programmes in the state
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