A police case has been registered against 200 unidentified people in Bihar’s Munger after a Ram Navami procession turned unruly while entering the Hazratganj Mohalla area on Thursday, 30 March.
Visuals suggest Hindu men in saffron attires raising objectionable slogans. For the consecutive year, Ram Navami, a Hindu festival, led to violence in many states.
In Munger, a group of bike-riding youths involved in the flag procession entered the Muslim-populated Hazratganj mohalla under Kasim Bazar police station near Khanqah gate at around 2.50 PM and raised communal slogans inciting communal frenzy, allegedly under the leadership of the BJP MLA Pranav Kumar.
Local people chased the bike riders before police reached Hazratganj.
“The route of the flag procession via Hazratganj was not permitted, but still, a group of youths riding on more than 100 bikes passed near Hazratganj Mohalla Khanqah Gate waving swords shouting provocative slogans like “Jai Shree Ram Bolo Meya Ko Kato” — Say Jai Shree Ram(Glory be to Lord Ram) and kill Meya (Muslims),” a resident, who wants to remain anonymous, told Maktoob.
“Jai Shree Ram Bolo Meya Ki Topi Utaro” Say Jai Shree Ram(Glory be to Lord Ram) and take off Muslim caps” were among other anti-Muslim slogans.
During the escape of bike riders at high speed, the 7-year-old daughter of Md. Chhotu, a resident of Street Number 4, was injured in a bike accident.
Meanwhile, locals accused the BJP MLA of Munger and said that “this happened at the behest of MLA Pranav Kumar intending to create a communal atmosphere”.
The CCTV camera installed at the chowk caught a white SUV of local BJP MLA Pranav Yadav crossing the Hazratganj chowk moments before the group of youths involved in the procession arrived.
Kasim Bazar Police Station Chief Mintu Kumar Singh said, “the police are examining the CCTV footage. Action will be taken against whoever is found guilty. At present, the police force has been deployed in Hazratganj”.
Similar incidents were reported in Lakhisarai, Bihar where under the banner of Dharma Jagran Samanvay Manch, a Shobha Yatra procession was taken out.
Bajrang members brandished swords and played provocative songs like “Those who like Pakistan should go to Pakistan. We will not stop them but provide free tickets.”
Five companies of central armed police forces (CAPF) and 27 companies of Bihar special auxiliary police (BSAP) personnel were deployed across the state to ensure peaceful Ram Navami celebrations.
DJs were also banned during processions.
The police have been put on high alert in 12 out of 38 districts and have been asked to keep a tab on the suspected trouble-makers so that there is no untoward incident during the religious procession,” said an official of Bihar home department told The Hindustan Times.
According to a report on communal violence during Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti in 2022 titled Routes of Wrath, Last year, tensions prevailed in the aftermath of violence during RamNavami processions, which reportedly left five people injured following the violence an argument over the route of a procession in Aurangabad district.
On April 10, 2022, members of a Ram Navami procession in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur reportedly climbed on top of a mosque and placed a saffron flag on the structure as the rest of the procession cheered them on.
Videos show the procession stopped in front of Dak Bangla Masjid in Mohammadpur village, with several members armed with swords and loud music in the background, while a few men clad in saffron can be seen dancing on top of the gate of the mosque and affixing saffron flag there.
