West Bengal Governor C.V. Ananda Bose issued a strongly-worded statement on Friday evening on the clashes in Howrah district on Thursday over a Ram Navami procession, wherein he warned that those resposible for the unrest will not be spared.
"Those who resort to violence under the illusion that they can hoodwink the people will soon realise they are in a fool's paradise. There will be effective and concerted action to book the culprits and bring them before the law," the opening lines of the statement issued by the Raj Bhavan read.
According to Bose, setting fire to public property, "that too on the sacred Ram Navami day", is a highly-provocative act and will be viewed seriously.
"Hanuman set fire to Lanka to uphold Dharma. Those who resort to setting fire for 'Adharma' will be made to swallow the fire themselves or those who are mandated to douse the fire will do it decisively," the statement read.
Also Read | Political slugfest follows as usual after Ram Navami clashes in Howrah
Claiming that West Bengal has always stood united against the perpetrators of heinous crimes against humanity, the Governor said the trouble-makers and abettors will be made to realise that they cannot play 'Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde' in the state anymore.
Bose also gave a strong message to the police, asking the force to be objective, strong and fair.
"Raj Bhavan will keep its eyes and ears open to ensure protection to the life, property and dignity of the common man," the statement read.
The Governor also claimed that he had a confidential discussion with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on this matter.
"The state government has been directed to ensure that fool-proof arrangements are made to maintain law and order effectively, and firm action is taken against the miscreants. The Chief Minister has assured that strict and decisive action will be taken to prevent recurrence of such criminal intimidation," the statement read.
Bose has also ordered real-time monitoring of the situation by the Raj Bhavan, besides constituting a special cell for the same.
Bengal BJP chief writes to Shah over Ram Navami clashes, seeks NIA probe
West Bengal BJP President Sukanta Majumdar has written to Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the clashes that erupted over a Ram Navami procession in Howrah district on Thursday, requesting "an impartial inquiry involving central agencies like the NIA" into the matter.
"It is our firm belief that the whole incident was pre-planned going by the unfolding of events with first statement coming from none other than the CM on March 29 that strict action will be taken against Ram Navami processions if there is any untoward incident," the letter read.
"I have written to Home Minister Amit Shah demanding an NIA inquiry into the violence on Ram Navami in Howrah. Amit Shah has spoken to me over phone and assured that he will look into the entire incident," Majumdar said.
Earlier on Friday, BJP's Suvendu Adhikari, the leader of opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, filed a PIL in the Calcutta High Court demanding a central agency investigation into the matter and immediate deployment of Central forces in the violence-hit areas.
