After Ram Navami violence, MHA issues Hanuman Jayanti advisory

The move came close on the heels of communal violence in six states, including West Bengal, Bihar and Maharashtra, on and after Ram Navami on March 30.

The ministry of home affairs (MHA) on Wednesday issued an advisory to all states and Union territories to maintain law and order during Hanuman Jayanti on Thursday and monitor any factor that could disturb the communal harmony in society.

Security personnel deployed as train services resume at violence-affected Rishra area, following clashes between two groups during a Ram Navami procession, in Hooghly district. (PTI)

The move came close on the heels of communal violence in six states, including West Bengal, Bihar and Maharashtra, on and after Ram Navami on March 30. At least two people have died and several sustained injuries in the violence.

“ 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,” the office of Union home minister (Amit Shah) tweeted.

People familiar with the details in the Centre’s advisory said it asks police in states/UTs to deploy enough personnel in areas where processions are expected to be held by religious groups during Hanuman Jayanti to avoid a repeat of the violence that took place on Ram Navami last week.

Incidents of clashes and fire-bombing were reported from Hooghly and Howrah districts of West Bengal over Ram Navami processions in the last few days, including on Monday night, prompting the home ministry on Tuesday to seek a report from the state government within three days.

The Calcutta high court has also sought a detailed probe on the clashes.

Communal tension also rocked Bihar’s Rohtas and Nalanda districts on and after Ram Navami. Shah also spoke to Bihar governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, on Saturday, to take stock of the situation.

The home ministry has already sent additional paramilitary forces to Bihar to assist the state administration in handling the situation.

Shah cancelled his proposed tour of Sasaram in Rohtas district on April 2 after prohibitory orders were put in place.Both the Bengal and Bihar governments have imposed section 144 and restricted internet services in some areas till normalcy returns.

MHA tweeted in evening that “Central Armed Police Forces deployed in West Bengal to assist state police in maintaining law and order during observance of Hanuman Jayanti.”

Bihar riots were orchestrated: Nitish

In another development, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday while reacting to the clashes that erupted in Sasaram and Bihar Sharif last week during Ram Navami, rejected the charges of administrative laxity and said that riots were “orchestrated”.

Kumar asserted that there was “no administrative laxity”, but added the riots were “orchestrated (‘jaan boojhkar karvaaya gaya’)” and “those behind the incident will be known soon”.

“The riots last week were planned thoroughly... those behind the incident will be known soon. Just wait, door to door searches are on,” he said while talking to the reporters.