No widespread violence this Ram Navami – What does it indicate?

New Delhi: Barring a couple of small incidents of violence, the Ram Navami festival was celebrated peacefully on Wednesday across the country. 

A blast in Murshidabad injuring many and an incidence of stone pelting at a Ram Navami procession were reported from West Bengal on Wednesday.

This is in sharp contrast to the widespread violence reported from across the country every Ram Navami in the past few years.

In 2023, Ram Navami celebrations were marred by violence in at least six states - West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Gujarat.

The absence of violence on Ram Navami in an election year, especially two days before the first vote is cast, has raised many critical questions. 

Had the Election Commission’s monitoring and controlling law and order across the country any role to play? 

If this was the case, were the riotings in the previous years a result of laxity by state police and administration?

The answer to both questions is “yes”.

It is commonly known that politics is always at the core of almost every violence which is communal in nature, barring a few incidents of hooliganism. 

Considering a politically charged atmosphere just two days ahead of polling, the big question is why this Ram Navami passed peacefully.

A day before Ram Navami celebrations in West Bengal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of plotting to halt the festivities, while Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that the BJP was planning to spark riots in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Addressing election rallies in Raiganj and Balurghat, Modi hailed the Calcutta High Court's decision to allow a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) procession in Howrah as a "victory for truth.".

Modi claimed that while the TMC does not permit Ram Navami rallies, it allows stone-pelting at such events.

On the other hand, Banerjee, while addressing a rally in Jalpaiguri, accused the BJP of trying to engineer riots on Wednesday, two days ahead of the first phase of elections.

"BJP is trying to engineer riots in the state on April 17, aiming to reap electoral dividends in the first phase of elections on April 19. We have information that they are planning to incite communal polarisation in the state," she claimed.

"I urge our supporters and the peace-loving people of West Bengal not to fall into their trap and engage in clashes. People must be vigilant to thwart the BJP's plan to incite riots for votes," she said.

However, a bomb was hurled on a Ram Navami procession that injured several persons on Wednesday.

BJP is present across the country with a huge majority in about a dozen states and contrary to Banerjee’s allegations, there were no reports of violence from any part of the country except her own state.

Political pundits are of the opinion that the other side was well aware that the BJP would benefit from polarisation if any sort of violence took place. 

“No political party was in a position to afford any misdemeanour on Ram Navami, especially in the context of the recent consecration of Ayodhya Ram Temple. Hence, you did not see any violence at a large scale which had become a usual thing on either this occasion or Hanuman Jayanti,” said a political analyst adding that this Ram Navami exposed people who were orchestrating the communal violence.

The change in the air was clearly visible this Ram Navami with TMC taking out shobha yatra while almost all the leading parties and their leaders greeted people.