New Delhi, March 30 (TNS): The politicisation of religious festivals such as Rama Navami due to heavy participation by saffron outfits’ activists lies at the core of communal conflagration in Indian state of Bihar. These groups forced their entry into minority community concentrated areas and were shouting provocative slogans and brandishing swords.
Tension triggered by violence during the festive procession in Bhagalpur on March 17 has now engulfed seven districts of the state, with hundreds of shops owned by a particular community being turned to ashes and over 100 people – including policemen – suffering injuries over the past 10 days.
Struggling to restore peace in Bhagalpur, Munger, Samastipur, Siwan, Gaya, Aurangabad and Nalanda districts, the state government has imposed prohibitory orders in some areas and deployed paramilitary forces, including Rapid Action Force (RAF), to tackle the unrest. More than 200 people have been arrested so far across the seven districts.
After talking to police officials and locals, it was established that minority concentrated areas were intentionally selected as the route of the procession and objectionable slogans were raised so that the social fabric could be disturbed and society could be polarised in a manner similar to how it was when riots broke out in Kasganj, Uttar Pradesh, in January this year.
Courtesy: Times of India
