The communal clashes which marred Ram Navami processions in West Bengal’s Howrah district and Sasaram in Bihar, with some incidents of violence continuing the following day as well, are a shameful reflection of the failure of the police in both states to ensure the maintenance of law and order on a day that is meant for prayer, reflection, introspection and religious rituals, marked by piety and solemnity. Ram Navami should unite and brings all people together with a sense of one nation, of companionship and comradeship. Instead, in several places in both West Bengal and Bihar, the Shobha Yatras, which are traditional processions to mark the occasion, became the victims of communal hatred and mobilisation. These also found little protection from the State and its law enforcement agencies, mainly the police.
In West Bengal, chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who blamed the BJP for instigating the violence, alleging some participants in the rally held by the party had come prepared with “trishuls” and other “weapons”, however, also acknowledged that there were “lapses” by the police and promised a quick investigation. On Sunday, West Bengal governor C.V. Ananda Bose, who toured the troubled areas, directed the police to act “impartially” to restore public confidence and also gather proper intelligence to prevent any recurrence. The police must do this without delay. In Bihar, the continuing tension in Sasaram, which led to Section 144 CrPC remaining in force, led to the cancellation of Union home minister Amit Shah’s planned visit.
The chief ministers of both states, Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar, harbour ambitions to emerge as the leader of an Opposition coalition to defeat the BJP and become Prime Minister if they can convince people to back such an alliance. But their failure as CMs to protect law and order in their respective states, and give people of different communities, both majority and minority, a sense of security to live together in peace, works against their cause.
Beyond such long-term politics, it is the moral responsibility of any and every state, and its government, to ensure peace, order, harmony and stability. The abject failure of both West Bengal and Bihar to do so is a shame. Ms Banerjee and Mr Kumar must answer not just to the people of their states but the entire country.
The police permission argument is an age-old ruse. Asking a Hindu religious procession on Ram Navami or a Muslim procession on Milad-ul-Nabi or during Muharram to avoid routes considered “sensitive”, meaning it is populated by people of another religion in a significant number, yields to the colonial communal divide theory. The police can’t refuse to protect the rights of people citing law and order difficulties and instead curb such rights or reduce them to “licenses”.
Governments across the political divide remain committed to ensuring the rights of all citizens, of all communities; and ensure law and order. Intelligence failures and failure to respond quickly to troubled situations, and restoring order quickly can’t be condoned. The governments must explain, answer and take stern action not only against the rioters and arsonists but also against police personnel who failed to do their duty.
All parties, including the BJP, TMC, JD(U) and RJD, and others, will try to exploit this situation for political gain. They must remember it will be a betrayal of their duty to the people under the Constitution to do so.
