NEW DELHI, Apr 5: In the wake of the communal disturbances in several parts of the country on the Ram Navami day last week, the Union Home Ministry on Wednesday issued an advisory to all the states ahead of the Hanuman Jayanti festival on Thursday.
The advisory has asked the states to ensure law and order and monitor factors “that could disturb communal harmony in society.” During the Ram Navami festivals on March 30, communal violence were reported from Gujarat, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand and some other places.
The Ministry said in a tweet on Wednesday, “MHA has issued an advisory to all States in preparation for Hanuman Jayanti.” “The governments are encouraged to ensure the maintenance of law and order, peaceful observance of the festival, and monitoring of any factors that could disturb communal harmony in society.”
Several rallies and processions by religious and civil society groups are planned across the country on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti. Similar rallies and processions were organised on the Ram Navami day which had sparked off violence due to various reasons.
Ahead of the Hanuman Jayanti, the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee had levelled allegations against the BJP that the party was planning for another round of violence in the state during the Hanuman Jayanti. The State had witnessed clashes between two communities on the occasion of Ram Navami on March 30 in Howrah and a day after at Rishra and Seerampore areas in neighbouring Hooghly district during the Ram Navami procession.
(Manas Dasgupta)