West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee hit back at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Thursday and blamed them for the violence in Howrah during Ram Navami processions.
Kazipara area in Howrah district in West Bengal turned into a warzone during Ram Navami rally on Thursday. Several police personnel were deployed at the spot to control the situation after many shops were ransacked and torched along with several vehicles.
According to local police sources, the rally was supposed to take another route but suddenly it entered the Kazipara area that led to clashes between two groups.
Banerjee termed it as a conspiracy by the BJP and also accused the saffron party of hiring "goons" from outside Bengal to orchestrate "communal riots".
“Nobody has stopped their processions but they do not have the right to march with swords and bulldozers. How did they get the audacity to do this in Howrah?
"Why did they change the route and take the unauthorised route to particularly target and attack one community?
"If they believe that they will attack others and receive relief through legal interventions, they must know that the people will reject them one day. Those who haven't done any wrong will not be arrested. How do BJP workers have the courage to bulldoze people's homes”, she added.
BJP blames CM for violence
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari however, claimed that Mamata Banerjee is the "root cause of the violence".
BJP's Amit Malviya also took aim at Banerjee for the ruckus while the party also called for a CBI inquiry in the matter.
"In brazen disregard for Hindu sentiments, Mamata Banerjee held dharna on Ramanavami, then warned Hindus about avoiding Muslim areas because it was Ramzan, forgetting that Hindus too were fasting for Navratri.
"As Home Minister of WB she is directly responsible for Howrah violence," Malviya tweeted.
