The Kolkata Police till Saturday afternoon received over 80 applications for rallies on Ram Navami scheduled for Sunday.

The city and state cops are keeping a strict vigil given both the ruling Trinamool and the Opposition BJP’s battle cry to turn the festive day into a show of strength.

“We are scrutinising the applications that have been submitted. Everyone is welcome to celebrate without disturbing anyone. The Calcutta high court has given several directions on the do’s and don’t’s. Those have been explained to the organisers,” said Manoj Verma, the commissioner of Kolkata Police.

Sourced by The Telegraph

It has been eight years since the BJP tried to mobilise people around Ram Navami, which is celebrated with fervour in the north Indian states.

The Sangh Parivar members brought out processions with sharp weapons in Kolkata and the districts with six mega rallies in Kolkata and over 150 others in the districts in 2017.

This year, the Vishva Hindu Parishad, a key front of the Sangh Parivar, which also includes the BJP, ruling party at the centre and the Opposition in Bengal, has announced on its own 2,000 rallies, 200 tableaus and Ram Mahotsav in over 4,500 locations across the state.

The leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, who had announced over 1.5crore Hindus will hit the streets on Ramnavami, has a slew of events for the week beginning from Saturday.

On Sunday he is expected to lay the foundation stone for a Ram temple in his constituency Nandigram, apart from some other related events in other districts.

On Adhikari’s instruction the BJP is organising a rally at chief minister Mamata Banerjee’s constituency Bhowanipore. Adhikari is also scheduled to attend an event at Bhowanipore though the date and time has not been revealed yet.

TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh criticised the BJP for politicising Ram Navami.

"Those who will celebrate Ram Navami, all those are not BJP, all Hindus are not BJP, some are supporters, but the rest are anti-BJP. The BJP is trying to celebrate in a politically motivated way, but others are in a proper way,” said Trinamool spokesperson Kunal Ghosh.

Following the rise of Ram Navami processions in the state, tension has also mounted high often leading to tragic consequences.

Seven years ago, a 16-year old was among the four people killed in Asansol. In the following years, clashes have been reported in Howrah’s Shibpur, Murshidabad’s Rejinagar among other places.

On Friday, the Calcutta high court allowed a little known outfit Anjani Putra Sena to hold a rally in Howrah, which had been denied by the district police citing security concerns, setting certain conditions like recording the identity of the participants.

For the peaceful conduct of the Ram Navami rally the high court has asked the Sena to nominate 10 people who would be held accountable for maintaining peace. They have been barred from carrying any weapons including sticks and allowed just one vehicle carrying an idol of Ram.

The Bengal BJP leaders are unhappy with having to knock on the court’s door to get permission for a rally.

"It is our constitutional right to celebrate our religious festivals, but the Mamata Banerjee's police are stopping us. We are forced to go to the high court and Supreme Court regarding every issue," said Adhikari.

Former MP and BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said the onus to maintain peace was on the administration.

“It is the responsibility of the police to maintain peace, not create any obstacles in the processions way. But the police deliberately create problem and then tell the court permission should not be given,” Ghosh said.

The BJP MLA from Malda’s Englishbazar Srirupa Mitra Chowdhury wrote to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah apprehending terror attack during Ram Navami rallies in Malda and Murshidabad districts.

The state administration has identified 10 police districts and commissionerates as sensitive where heavy police bandobast is being made.

The leaves of all police employees have been cancelled till April 9.

“Sufficient force, including 40-50 officers will be deployed for the rallies,” said Verma.