New Delhi: As West Bengal with 42 Lok Sabha seats is being perceived by the BJP as one of the key states that could help it return to power at the Centre, the party has put in place a two-pronged strategy to consolidate its vote bank. While on one hand it will unleash its main vote-catching machine, Narendra Modi, who will address 16 rallies in the state, on the other hand the party and VHP will hold nearly 700 rallies across the state on Sunday, April 14, to commemorate the occasion of Ram Navami.
At this juncture, West Bengal is witnessing a major polarisation of vote bank. With Ram Navami rallies being planned, tension has gripped the state and the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government has asked for deployment of additional Central forces from the Election Commission.
The state government has already banned public display of weapons during Ram Navami processions and only traditional processions have been given permission, official sources said.
Any procession taken out illegally and displaying weapons would be booked under non-bailable penal sections.
Over the past two years, West Bengal has been witnessing communal tension during Ram Navami as the VHP has been taking out motorcycle rallies where their cadre openly displayed weapons, provoking TMC also to take out Ram Navami processions.
The state police has given intelligence inputs to the election panel about potential flashpoints and shared trouble spots from last year’s processions with it, sources said.
The state government has sought two companies of Central forces in Asansol and Barrackpore, and Central forces have been sent for advance deployment to Malda and Murshidabad which go to polls on April 23 during the third phase of Lok Sabha polls.
Kolkata Police said that no political, apolitical, religious organisations are allowed to carry out bike rallies in the city.
The BJP was denied permission to take out bike rallies across Kolkata on the occasion of Ram Navami. However, normal rallies by the party and VHP are being allowed.
Meanwhile on Saturday, there were reports of scuffles between police officials and BJP workers in some places after they were stopped from taking out bike rallies.
The VHP, which has planned as many as 700 rallies in the state on the occasion of Ram Navami, said that no arms would be carried in rallies held this year.
“We have received permission for rallies. We will abide by the direction of the police and no one will carry arms during Ram Navami rallies conducted by us,” VHP organisational general secretary (eastern region) Sachindranath Sinha said.
There were, however, reports that hundreds of Ram Navami rallies, including some armed ones, were taken out by BJP and VHP in various parts of West Bengal on Saturday drawing sharp criticisim from West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
